Loki Against The Underground
by What Lurks In Shadows
Summary: As punishment for the crimes he committed in Midgard Loki is banished to a realm beyond that of the Nine that is feared by all those who believe in its existence, the Underground. There he is the prisoner of the Goblin King and must defeat the Labyrinth in order to win his freedom and seek revenge against Thor and the Avengers - semi AU; rated for later chapters; Slash; Loki/Jareth
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I'm not really sure how this fic is going to go. I have most of the story plotted out in my head but whether or not I continue with it will depend on how well this crossover is received. I may stand alone in thinking that putting Loki and Jareth in a room together might result in a little fun…

Anyway, hopefully someone will enjoy this and reviews are always welcome!

* * *

**Chapter One**

Thor lead Loki through the halls of the palace of Asgard by the heavy metal chains that linked the God of Mischief's hands together. Shackled and gagged Loki felt the anger and humiliation boil up inside of him. He raised his head slightly to glare dangerously at Thor's back. His brother would pay dearly for this humiliation, they all would.

His defeat at the hands of the Avengers had angered him. He hated when others spoiled his fun and he was certainly annoyed that he had let them get the better of him. What was truly boiling his blood though was the humiliation that his brother was currently making him endure. The shackles and gag were bad enough back on Midgard but Loki had assumed they were for show, so that it looked like Thor was taking Loki's crimes seriously. He had expected, however that once they had returned to Asgard Thor would remove them, Odin would arrange some sort of punishment for him and he would be back to his mischievous plotting in no time.

Evidently this was not the case. It would seem Thor had decided that part of Loki's punishment would be to be lead by these chains, silenced by the metal bit in his mouth, in front of the palace guards, servants and everyone else who was now rushing in to line the hallway so that they could taunt the God of Mischief as he stalked behind the Thor.

With one hand Thor grasped Loki's chains and in the other he carried the vessel in which the Tesseract was contained by one of its handles. He had a grim look on his face and was so lost in thought he barely noticed the gathering taunting crowd. He had not particularly wanted to drag Loki through the halls like this but the truth was that he was angry with his brother. Angry that despite everything he tried to do for him, to show him that he was a loved member of their family Loki would just throw it all back in his face and do something like try and take over the Earth. His anger was born mostly from the frustration that Thor could not understand what was going on in his brother's mind. He wanted to know so he could help Loki, help him get past all of this and so they could just go back to the way things were. He wanted them to all be a family again.

Thor arrived in his father's throne room with Loki in tow. Odin looked up from where he sat upon the grand golden throne of Asgard. His four advisors stood to either side of him and Frigga stood off to the side of the room. The sad look upon her face caused Thor's brow to crease and Loki to look away.

"Bring him here Thor" Odin ordered and pointed to a spot before his throne with his sceptre.

Thor did what he was asked and pulled Loki to stand before their father.

"The Tesseract" called one of Odin's advisors as he held his hand out to Thor to receive the Tesseract.

Thor handed his father's advisor the glass vessel and then looked to Odin himself.

"Father…" he began but was cut off almost immediately by Odin's booming voice.

"No Thor! I will not hear any of it. Your brother has done irreparable harm this time and I'm afraid it cannot be forgiven.

Thor looked to his brother, standing before his father's throne, chained, gagged and glaring furiously at him, before he turned back to his father, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. Knowing the punishment that awaited Loki but unable to believe that his father would allow it…not to Loki…not to his brother.

"Please father…" Thor choked out. His eyes locked with Odin's, he did not even glance in the direction of the king's advisors. Thor knew it was them that would be insisting on this punishment and his only hope to save Loki was to appeal to Odin, not only as his father but also as Loki's father, for Thor knew that Odin still very much considered Loki to be his son.

"I'm afraid he has left me with little choice Thor…" Odin trailed off as he met the gaze of his first-born son.

The king's four advisors all looked on with blank expressions but Thor knew inside they were secretly pleased his brother had disgraced the family again because it meant they could finally justify their desired punishment for Loki, that which was reserved for only the most dangerous criminals in Asgard.

"Father…" Thor strode over to his father's side in three long steps and knelt by his throne. Grasping the side of the throne he continued "…please, you cannot let them have him father. You know what punishment awaits him if you do. They will torture him before they behead him in front of the entire city! Father! Please!" Thor's voice rose steadily as he pleaded with his father to decree a fate for Loki other than the one that had been advised.

One of Odin's advisors stepped forward to address the King.

"My liege. It would be most unwise not to follow this course with the prisoner. What would the people of Asgrand think if you…"

Odin held up a hand to silence his advisor.

"Loki is no prisoner, he may have committed crimes against Midgard and Asgard but he is still my son." Odin paused and looked down sadly upon his adopted son, knowing that if he did not stay the course set for by his advisors there was only one other option for Loki.

"Loki. For these crimes you have committed you must be punished. But as my son I cannot bring myself to subject you to Asgard's ultimate punishment."

Thor breathed a momentary sigh of relief knowing that his brother would live to see another day.

Loki was not so hopeful. He looked up at Odin, trying to keep his features as blank as possible so that none in the room could read a fear that was beginning to creep through him. Perhaps he had gone too far this time? No, his actions were warranted, his father and mother had lied to him, Thor was to be given the throne when it should be his and he was fairly certain they had not mourned him when he had fallen from the Bifrost, despite what Thor may have told him. However, despite all of this a part of him feared his impending punishment, Thor may have saved him from the torture chambers but the beheading that followed may have been a sweet release compared to the alternative punishment Odin was about to hand down.

"Instead, you will be stripped of your powers and banished to the Underground, never to return."

Loki's eyes widened involuntarily. The Underground was a place so awful no one had been banished there for centuries. The torture and subsequent death may have been preferable to an eternity in the Underground without his powers.

"No!" Thor cried out. He had heard of the Underground. It was a realm beyond that of the Nine, it held a position distinct from Neffleheim in that it was not a realm for the dead, it was a realm for the dishonoured living where disgraced individuals were once banished.

"My liege, we do think it best that - " Odin cut his advisor off with a stern look.

"I have made my decision and my word is final."

"Father, you cannot leave him to rot in the Underground forever, he is your son and my brother!" Thor was now desperate. He had hoped his father might strip Loki of his powers and banish him to Midgard or one of the other Nine realms where Thor could at lease visit him and keep an eye on him but the inhabitants of the Nine realms had no power to enter the Underground, only the King of each realm could cast individuals to this realm and once there they could never return.

Odin looked to Thor and knew that he was hurting because this course of action hurt him equally.

"It is the only way to spare Loki's life" Odin leant down to whisper to Thor. "They would have him tortured and killed. This is better."

"Is it father?" Thor questioned, the passion drained completely from his voice.

Odin stood and pointed his sceptre at Loki.

"For your crimes Loki, son of Odin. I strip you of your power…" in a blaze of green light Loki felt his power drained from him. He immediately despised the helpless feeling it left in him. Without his magic all he had was his silver tongue, and little help that would do him in the barren wastelands of the Underground "…and here by banish you to the Underground, never to return"

Loki looked to his brother one last time before a beam of blue light shot forth from Odin's staff and a portal of blue light opened up behind him. With a look of fierce hatred the likes of which Thor had never seen before in his brother's eyes Loki disappeared from the Throne room.

Frigga shed a tear quietly in the corner of the room before hurrying out the door, a sob quietly escaping her lips.

"No!" Thor called out as he ran to where his brother had been only a moment ago. He then spun around to face his father, anger blazing in his eyes.

"What have you done!"

"I have done what needed to be done!" Odin boomed has he rose from his throne "Loki went too far this time. He left me with little choice…" His voice softened and trailed off as he finished.

"Now leave. All of you. I wish to be alone." Odin said quietly.

Thor stormed from the throne room and Odin's advisors slowly exited behind him.

Thor too needed some time alone. He would find a way to bring Loki back, even if it meant defying his father's orders. He would not leave his brother to rot in the Underground.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Thank you SO much to those of you who have reviewed so far and also thank you to those who may have read the first chapter and not reviewed. I'm now starting to think that there might be at least a small audience who might be keen to see this crossover continue?

Anyway, I may try posting a few more chapters and seeing what sort of reception they get and then go from there. So please review as it most certainly drives me to write more and to write faster.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter Two**

The Goblin King lounged across his throne, a leg casually draped over the arm. He tapped a leather riding crop against the rock base of the throne and dangled his foot leisurely, lifting it up and down in time with his tapping. He gazed about at his dingy throne room. He had thought many times about changing the dreary decor but ultimately when you are surrounded by goblins what is really the point of having nice things.

Things had been slow, to put it kindly, over the last decade or so for the Goblin King. Children these days were less impressionable and their imaginations had slowly been slipping away, resulting in fewer and fewer naughty boys and girls wishing their siblings, bullies and friends they are momentarily cross with into the clutches of the Goblin King. Without children wishing one another into his clutches his purpose in the universe was slowly ceasing to exist. Soon he would have no purpose at all except to rule the goblins and as their ranks thinned out without the introduction of new goblins transformed from lost children they too would be gone before long.

Then would the Underground cease to exist? Would he cease to exist? These were the questions that plagued the Goblin King of late and so Jareth found ways to amuse himself each day to keep his mind from such dark musings. The Goblin King heaved a sigh and just as he was about to lift himself from his throne and seek out a source of amusement for the afternoon a small goblin came scurrying into the throne room.

"Jareth! Jareth! Jareth" It called, almost out of breath.

"What is it?" There was a hint of annoyance in the Goblin King's voice and he truly wished the goblin would just get on with it instead of panting hopelessly at the foot of this throne.

"There is….there's…." the goblin panted.

"Out with it!" Jareth yelled.

The goblin jumped in fright and began to tremble.

"There's s-s-someone at the g-g-gates sire" The goblin finally managed to gasp out.

"You came running in here to tell me - " Jareth suddenly paused and brought his hand up thoughtfully to touch his lips with a long slender finger.

"What do you mean _someone_?" Jareth questioned as he leant in closer to the tiny goblin.

"Ah…well…..ah…." the goblin stuttered in fear.

Jareth, having reached the end of his short temper with the filthy creatures he was forced to rule over picked the goblin up by the scruff of its neck and brought it up level with his face.

"What or who is at which gates?"

"The gates to the Labyrinth!" the goblin screeched.

Jareth cast his gaze up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated sigh.

"And who is supposedly at the gates to the Labyrinth?"

"A man! From…from…Hoggle said to say t-t-that he thinks he's from another realm!"

"Hoggle said he's from another realm or this being who has turned up on my doorstep is from another realm?"

"Uh….." failing to understand the question and not quite having the capacity to understand that the Goblin King was toying with him the tiny goblin began to quake in fear as he hung suspended from Jareth's grip.

"Never mind" Jareth sighed as he dropped the goblin, who hit the floor running and promptly scampered out of the throne room before the King changed his mind.

"Well…" Jareth mused to himself as he cocked his head to one side "this could be quite an interesting development."

With that he stood, brushed himself off and tapped his riding crop lightly against his leg while he pondered his next move. He lifted his right hand up to the level of his eyes and, as if from nowhere, he conjured a crystal to his slender fingertips. As his gazed into its depths an image began to swirl outwards from its centre until it filled the entire crystal and Jareth gazed intently at the image he had called on. As he looked into its depths a smirk tugged up the corner of his mouth, yes this would most certainly provide him with some entertainment for the afternoon…and beyond…

Jareth waved away the crystal and with a sweep of his hand changed his attire to something a little more formal. After all, he should look his best when greeting new visitors to the Underground.

With a final check of his appearance in a filthy grim covered mirror that hung on one wall of the throne room Jareth waved both his hands before him and he was gone.

* * *

Loki hit the sandy earth with a bruising thump. The wind was knocked out of him and he doubled over as he struggled for breath. As he rolled from his back onto his side he cast his gaze about him, trying to take in his surrounding in between squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to gulp in each breath through the metal muzzle he still had clamped across his mouth. His heart was racing, without his power he suddenly felt a terrifying sense of helplessness.

Was this how Thor has felt when Odin had cast him out and banished him to Midgard? Loki almost wished he had been banished to Midgard, he surely would have been punished for his crimes there but he felt fairly certain that the humans would have placed a super villain such as himself in some kind of isolated maximum security facility under constant watch, which means he would not have been subjected to the riffraff like a common criminal. Instead it would appear that he would be subjected to the fabled filth of the Underground.

Loki groaned loudly as he tried to lift himself up using his left arm and pain shot up through his arm.

_Probably injured that in the fall_… Loki thought to himself as he rolled to his other side and instead used his right arm to push himself up onto his hands and knees, holding his injured left arm across his body. He had finally steadied his breathing as he got to his feet. His black and green tunic was now covered with fine sand coloured dirt and so where his black pants and leather boots. He looked down at himself and let out an exasperated sigh at the state of his clothing.

He began to brush himself off with his good arm, to the extent that his chain would allow, when suddenly a tall, slender man appeared before him. Loki arched a dark eyebrow and looked the Goblin King up and down. The mysterious man wore black knee-high books over tight dark breeches, a billowy white shirt was barely visible under a dark dress-coat and the outfit was completed by a shimmering cloak with a high curved collar that came up to his ears. Mismatched eyes stared intently at Loki as wisps of wild uneven silver-blond hair caressed his beautiful face. Loki caught himself staring for a moment, there was something sinister and alluring about the man that Loki could just not quite put his finger on.

Jareth cocked his head to one side and smirked at the dusty man before him who was now holding his left arm across his body with his good right arm. A fair, slender eyebrow tugged upwards as he noticed the shackles and muzzle that the man had obviously been forced to wear. Jareth's mind slowly wandered to a number of naughty scenarios involving this strange man, the chains, the gag and his dungeon. He certainly couldn't have asked for a better distraction to fall into his lap.

Wanting to know who the mysterious man was, Jareth decided that he was unlikely to get any answers out of him with his mouth sealed shut by the metal device clamped over his face. So, making a mental note to recall the gag later at a more…appropriate time, Jareth waved his hand gracefully before him and the muzzle that Loki had been forced to wear disappeared. After all, Jareth was the ruler of this realm and no power could match his down here.

Loki was surprised when the man before him waved his hand and he suddenly felt the hot desert breeze blow across his lips where only moments before the metal gag had been secured. He glanced down and noticed that his chains remained but at least he was now free to speak. After all, with no powers all he had to aid him now was his silver tongue.

Neither man said anything for several moments, each eyeing the other off, like two young male lions sizing each other up before engaging in a fight that were not sure they would win.

"Who are you?" Loki asked carefully. He knew nothing of the Underground except what he had been told as a child and those were all stories meant to frighten naughty children. He was certain he would need to tread carefully in this realm until he had a better grasp on things down here.

"Well I could ask the same of you." Jareth quipped "I mean, after all, you have landed somewhat unceremoniously at the gates to my kingdom" he gestured towards Loki with both hands to punctuate his point.

"I'm not here by choice I can assure you." Loki narrowed his eyes at the tall blond man before him. "And you haven't answered my question."

Jareth chuckled quietly to himself and took a step towards the tall brunet in the strange black and green garments, pieces of golden armour adorning him here and there. Whoever he was he was no peasant, nor was he simply a warrior or nobleman. Jareth had all sorts sent to him before but none like him…no…this one was something special.

"Very well. I am the Goblin King…but you may call me Jareth." He smirked at Loki, revealing white pointed teeth.

"Hmmmm…" Loki considered Jareth carefully.

_At least he is the king of this retched realm. At the very least I should be able to get him to afford me some decent hospitality and, if I play my cards right, perhaps a way out of here…_

"You've certainly got yourself a winner of a kingdom here." Loki drawled sarcastically as he gestured to his surrounds with his good arm. "What did you do to deserve this posting?"

Jareth smiled involuntarily and chuckled slightly.

"I guess you might say I pissed off the wrong person." Jareth then looked Loki up and down. "But with all due respect…I am King here and you have been banished here powerless."

Loki's eyes widened in response to the fact that somehow this Goblin King knew that his powers had been stripped from him without Loki having told him. He quickly composed himself as Jareth continued.

"So the real question here remains, who are you and what did you do to deserve an eternity in the Underground?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"So the real question here remains, who are you and what did you do to deserve an eternity in the Underground?"

Loki narrowed his eyes at the Goblin King. He thought briefly about not answering, after all it was really none of this elaborately dressed man's business who he was or what he was doing here.

"Before you choose not to answer…I would like to remind you that this is _my_ kingdom and it is therefore my business to know who you are and why you have been sent here…"

Loki arched an eyebrow but mostly managed to control his reaction to the Goblin King's cryptic remark that almost seemed like he could read his mind.

"Besides…" Jareth started as he took several steps towards Loki, stopping just in front of him. He looked him up and down and began to circle him closely "a creature as lovely as yourself…" he stopped in front of Loki and looked straight into his intense green eyes, a smirk playing across his lips "depending on who you are and why you have been sent to me, well…." Jareth ceased his circling, stopping once again in front of Loki "that may very well influence my decision as to what to do with you."

"I am a God, you cannot just do with me as you choose" Loki bit out viciously.

Jareth laughed.

"I think you misunderstand the position you are in. You see you have been wished here or banished here, take your pick, which as the ruler of this realm, makes you my prisoner and unless I've confused the definition of prisoner…" Jareth strode forward to stand only inches from Loki, staring into his blazing green eyes "…means I can do with you as I see fit."

Loki cursed inwardly, it would seem that perhaps being greeted by the King of this wretched world was not such a lucky break. He was going to have to change tact if he was going to avoid being thrown in a dungeon cell or worse… He narrowed his eyes at the mismatched blue eyes that stared into his own, not overly fond of the way the Goblin King keep looking at him, like a predator sizing up it's prey.

"In that case…I am Loki-"

"Ahh the God of Mischief…." Jareth smirked, flashing pointed white teeth.

Loki glared at Jareth; he despised it when people interrupted him.

"Yes, I have gone by that title on occasion. As for why I'm here…" Loki paused as he searched for the most dignified way to confess to his banishment "I was banished here by the Allfather for a number of crimes I committed against the realm of Midgard. Evidently the King of Asgard and his advisors didn't appreciate the mischief I caused in the pursuit of a little revenge against my arrogant fool of a brother."

"A little sibling rivalry and you are banished to my Underground?" Jareth questioned, not entirely convinced by Loki's answer.

"Very well, I may have killed a number of mortals in a quest to rule over their simple race."

"So you're a tyrant and a murderer. I've had their kind sent here before but never a God. Tell me…is it not usually customary for the ruler of a realm to punish a God for such crimes with torture followed by beheading?"

"Yes, well it would seem that my soft hearted brother just could not live with himself were I to lose my head and so he begged the Allfather not to enact the punishment. Apparently that left him with only one other option…"

"To banish you to the Underground" Jareth finished for him with a smirk. "Well, you shall have to remind me to thank your brother some time then for delivering you to me." He added with a smirk.

Loki sneered at him.

Jareth looked off into the distance at the slowly setting sun.

"I suppose I should take you to my castle-" Jareth began before Loki cut him off.

"I don't intend to stay here."

"Oh you don't?" Jareth cocked his head to the side.

Loki stood firm, holding his injured left arm across his body with his good right arm.

"Name your price Goblin King."

Jareth laughed loudly.

"You are already my prisoner, you have nothing you can offer me to bargain for your freedom…" Jareth paused for a moment as a most delicious idea came to him, a smirk creeping it's way to his lips "are you a gambling man Loki?"

Loki's expression did not change so Jareth continued.

"If you are then might I propose a wager" Jareth circled around behind Loki and stepped into him so that his front was pressed up against Loki's back, his warm breath tickling Loki's ear gently.

"What if I told you that you could win back your freedom?"

Loki shivered involuntarily as Jareth's hot breath breezed over his elegant neck. He was suddenly very aware of the Goblin King's body pressed up against his back but he refused to give away any ground.

"I'm listening"

"Here in my Underground children often play a game to win back their stolen sibling. The game involves my Labyrinth and I believe you and I could have some…fun…were you to agree to play my game." Jareth strolled around to stand before Loki once again, his mismatched eyes boring into sharp green orbs.

Loki felt like this was a game designed for the player not to be able to win, that agreeing to whatever the Goblin King was about to suggest would lead him straight into his web and yet…he was strangely intrigued by the game and the King who made it's rules. Not to mention it was most certainly his only hope of getting out of this wretched place, he would certainly be incapable of doing it himself, not without his powers anyway.

Jareth waited patiently for Loki to make his decision. It often took them some time, he reminded himself. While some agreed to the challenge immediately without even considering the rules, others were more cautious and took their time to weigh up their options. It really didn't matter how they came to their conclusion though, none of them ever won.

Jareth's expression suddenly soured as he recalled one. Yes…he had almost forgotten _that_ one….

The Goblin King regained his composure and a sly smile graced his face once again. No matter, he had seen to it that none had won since _her_ and nor would this one.

Loki cautiously observed Jareth as the Goblin King seemed to be recalling an unpleasant memory. Perhaps the King did not always win this game. Loki matched the Goblin King's sly smile as he decided that while the odds were probably not in his favour this might not be as lost a cause as he had presumed. Perhaps he could indeed win his freedom back.

"Very well…" Loki started carefully "what are the rules of this game and more importantly, what are the stakes?"

"The rules are simple really. You start here and must reach my castle at the centre of the Labyrinth. You will have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth after which….well…I win."

"These are the only rules?"

Jareth smirked.

"Yes"

Loki knew this meant that the task before him was unlikely to be as simple as it seemed. After all if these were the only two rules then what was to stop Jareth from cheating, putting obstacles in his path to slow him…although…Loki pondered, it meant that he too could cheat were the opportunity to present itself.

"And the stakes?" Loki questioned of Jareth.

"Name your price and I will name mine."

Loki thought carefully before answering.

"If I win, you return my powers to me and send me to Midgard."

Jareth's smile turned into a small frown and he shook his head, his golden mane tossing about his shoulders.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. Your powers were not taken by me and therefore I have no capacity to return them to you. I can however, grant you your freedom and send you to a realm of your choosing. I could perhaps return you to Asgrad if you wish to seek to regain your powers?"

"No" Loki replied sternly.

"Very well, what shall it be then?"

"If I win, you will grant me my freedom and send me to Midgard."

"What business do you have on Earth?"

"None of yours."

Jareth raised an eyebrow but decided not to probe Loki further on the topic.

"As you wish then. If you are able to solve my Labyrinth in thirteen hours I will grant you your freedom and transport you to Earth."

When Jareth noted no objections from the God of Mischief he deemed the terms accepted and continued on.

"Now, as for if _I_ win…" Jareth paused and smirked at the tall compactly muscled man before him. He really was quite a uniquely beautiful specimen and Jareth certainly hoped he didn't have to set this one free, after all good help was so hard to find in the Underground and such exquisite help was unheard of.

"If I win then you will remain here in the Underground as my servant and…companion." Jareth's smirk suddenly became the look of a hungry predator and Loki was now not so sure he was prepared to lose this game.

What choice did he have really? He was currently the Goblin King's prisoner, which was wholly unappealing. If he didn't play this game with Jareth he had no hope of escape…unless he could hold the Goblin King to ransom, however a quick glance around the barren, hostile land of the Underground quickly dispelled that thought, even the castle off in the distance looked like it had seen better days.

But if he played and lost….the thought of being forced to be someone's servant made bile rise in his throat, he refused to be humiliated more than Thor and Odin had already achieved. That really left him with one option, to play and win.

He would just have to ensure that he won this game and that might mean playing to the Goblin King's weaknesses at times, using cunning and trickery to outsmart him where he could. But even with his silver tongue he could not grantee victory in his mind, not without his powers. It was a chance he was going to have to take. He was, after all, Loki God of Mischief, surely a little Labyrinth couldn't best him.

"Very well Goblin King. I accept your terms."

"Very good." Jareth said slyly.

"Now, you wont get very far at all with that" Jareth motioned towards Loki's hurt arm with his head.

Loki started back at him with a questioning look on his face. Then with a wave of Jareth's hand Loki felt the pain in his arm disappear. He moved it carefully to test it and found that the painful limitations he had been experiencing before were gone and he was able to freely move the arm again. He also noticed the shackles that had linked his hands before were now gone.

"Thank you." He was nothing if not well mannered.

"You are most welcome Loki."

"Now I suggest you get going." A thirteen hour clock appeared in the air beside Jareth's head, its crooked hour and minute hands both pointing straight up at the thirteenth hour. "Time is short."

Loki glanced at the strange clock and then at over at the gates to the Labyrinth. The big heavy wooden doors were closed and did not look like they would open easily.

Loki looked back to where Jareth had been only a moment ago to find that the Goblin King and the clock had disappeared. Loki cursed under his breath as he marched over to the heavy gates.

"He could have at least been a sport and opened the gates." Loki grumbled to no one in particular.

He pressed both palms firmly against the gates and strained heavily as he tried to push them open. The huge wooden doors creaked loudly as they strained against the large metal lock that held them closed. After having no success with this method Loki stood back with his hands on his hips.

"Well, I'm off to a winning start here aren't I?"


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note:

Thank you SO much to all of you who have reviewed. Your reviews mean a lot to me and have inspired me to write more.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review.

**Chapter Four**

Jareth materialised back in his throne room, a smirk played across his face as he thought of the delicious creature that would be the source of his entertainment for the next thirteen hours. Loki would be much more fun than the bratty children who usually ran the gauntlet of his Labyrinth, crying out that this and that weren't fair and that everything was his fault. No, Loki would be a much more…interesting challenge…

Jareth draped himself across his stone throne and conjured a crystal to his fingertips. Holding it delicately in his hand he looked deep into the depths of the crystal until the image he had called upon was presented to him. Frowning, he noticed that the light was beginning to fail and his prey would be forced to run his Labyrinth in the dark which, while this was likely to make it more difficult for Loki, was not satisfactory to Jareth as it would obscure his viewing of the exquisite God as he made his way through the Labyrinth.

"Well we can't have this." Jareth waved away the crystal in his hand and walked across to one of the arched windows in his throne room.

Standing before the window he waved his hand from west to east across the sky of his kingdom. The sun, which had barely set in the west followed the path of his hand across the sky to settle back just above the eastern horizon.

"There" Jareth stepped back to admire his work "that should provide better lighting for my enjoyment."

* * *

Loki stood before the gates to the Labyrinth with his hands on his hips, still slightly dusty and his usually sleek black hair stuck out at a few odd angles.

It was starting to get dark and he began to worry that if he didn't gain access to this wretched maze before dark fell he would be in serious trouble.

Suddenly the dark that had begun creeping its way across the realm began to seep away. Loki's brow creased in confusion as he tilted his head towards the sky just in time to watch the sun, which had been setting only moments ago began to reverse its trajectory across the sky before finally setting just above the eastern horizon.

Loki blinked several times, half expecting the sun to do something else but when it remained still in its new location for several minutes he shrugged his shoulders and returned his attention to the locked gates. At least the sun's strange movements would afford him some daylight by which to find his way through the Labyrinth.

Loki retuned his attention to the gates to the Labyrinth and out of frustration kicked the large metal padlock, which was holding the gates closed. Much to his surprise it broke off and fell to the ground with a loud clang, which echoed across the sandy plain.

Loki stood still for several moments staring at the padlock as it sat shattered on the ground. He then stepped forward and pushed against one of the gates with the palm of his hand. The gate groaned loudly as it swung open and Loki cautiously poked his head through the entrance.

"Well if everything is this simple I believe I may have over estimated the Goblin King." Loki chuckled as he walked through the open gate into the huge stone maze.

He was immediately confronted by an immense stone wall too tall and straight to climb, that seemed to stretch on forever in either direction.

"Hmmm"

Suddenly the gates slammed shut behind Loki with a loud bang. He spun around in surprise and his now confused stare was met with a wall of stone similar in appearance to the one he had just been facing, except that there should have been in its place the two large wooden gates to the Labyrinth.

Loki turned around slowly again until he was once again facing the wall he had previously been facing, which was still in fact a wall. He raised an eyebrow curiously as he now found himself in a long corridor of stone that stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction.

"Well that's just splendid now isn't it."

He was beginning to regret his earlier comment, now that he was starting to come to the realisation that the Labyrinth was perhaps not all that it seemed.

Loki pondered this development for a few moments more before randomly selecting to head left down the corridor of stone. He placed the fingertips of his right hand against the stone wall and proceeded to stride ahead at a brisk pace, taking care to step carefully over fallen branches and dislodged stones, ducking occasionally when a fallen branch had propped itself up against the wall at an angel, all the while never allowing his fingertips to leave the stone wall.

So far Loki's opinion of the Labyrinth was not high. The corridor he was currently traversing was cold, damp and smelled of mildew and moss. That and it seemed to just go on and on forever. Surely there must be a turn or a door or-

Loki stumbled slightly as his fingertips were suddenly met with air where their should have been stone. He turned to his right but was confronted by the same wall he had been following all this time, but surely his eyes were playing tricks on him because his fingers no longer felt stone.

Holding both this hands before him he took a tentative step forward and when his fingers still did not touch the rock he could see before his eyes he took another step and then another until he passed through a hidden opening in the rock wall into another stone corridor.

Pleased with himself Loki glanced to his left and then to his right down the new corridor and quickly selected to go right this time.

"It's quicker the other way."

A tiny voice piped up.

Loki glanced about in confusion, not entirely sure he had actually heard the voice or whether it had only imagined it. Just as he was about to give up his search for the voice he spotted a tiny blue caterpillar sitting on one of the stones in the wall next to a tiny hole.

"I'm afraid I don't take advice from caterpillars." Loki said with a look of distain before continuing off down the corridor in the direction he had chosen, quickly coming to another turn and selecting to go right again after a quick glance.

The blue caterpillar shook his head sadly.

"He seemed to be in such a hurry I thought he would have appreciated knowing the quickest way to the castle. Oh well" and with that he crawled off back into his hole.

* * *

"What is this ridiculous place!" Loki fumed as he kicked a small rock with his boot, sending it ricocheting down the stone corridor. "I have been wandering through these corridors for what must be hours and I feel as if I have gotten nowhere! Not to mention that ridiculous talking caterpillar."

Loki stopped walking and placed both hands on his hips. There must be an easier way out of this part of the Labyrinth then just wondering around randomly selecting a direction to go in based on where he _thought_ the castle was located according to his last observation of it. The problem was he had probably been turned around so many times by this blasted maze that he was no longer sure which direction the castle was in.

Sighing in frustration Loki cast his gaze up at the sky, where he noticed the sun off to his left. He smiled as a plan formulated in his mind.

Of course, why hadn't he thought of it before, he could use the sun to guide him through these wretched corridors. The sun and been to his left when he had began and the castle had lain directly before him. That meant that at this point in time, seeing as the sun had not yet reached the top of its transit across the sky, he was currently facing in the direction of the castle. By keeping the sun to his left from now on he could always be assured that he was heading towards the castle, and so he set off again.

* * *

Thor had been moping about the palace of Asgard ever since Loki had been cast from their realm to serve his sentence in the Underground. Still angry with his father for not doing more to save his brother when they had only just gotten him back after loosing him the first time, Thor had not spoken to Odin for a number of his days. He could barely even bring himself to converse with his friends of late. The only person he really spoke to these days was his mother.

Frigga found Thor standing out on the vast balcony over looking the newly repaired Bifrost. It had sapped most of Odin's strength and power to repair it but it had been done.

"Thor. I know you miss him but your father did all that he could. You know he must be a fair and honest ruler and his advisors always have the realms best interests at heart. At least this fate is better than the alternative." Frigga spoke softly as she stood beside Thor and placed a hand on her son's back.

"I would feel better if I knew that he was alright. I know nothing of the Underground but the stories I have heard of it have not calmed my worries."

"Heimdall can show you."

Thor looked to his mother and she nodded.

Thor strode purposefully across the rainbow bridge and towards the Bifrost. There, standing before him was Heimdall the gatekeeper of the Bifrost.

"What can I do for you Thor?"

"Can you show me the Underground?"

"A strange request indeed but yes, I can. I can show you any of the realms you wish to see."

"Then show me the Underground. I wish to know that my brother is alive and unharmed."

"Very well"

Thor followed Heimdall into the Bifrost gateway where he placed his heavy sword into the lock for the gateway. However, instead of activating the Bifrost he called upon a large oval shaped portal, which opened above his sword. At first it was only a swirling white mist of sorts but then the as the mist swirled faster it moved to the outer edges of the portal, leaving an image in its centre.

Thor let out a long breath he did not realise he had been holding as he saw his brother making his way down the centre of a stone corridor. The vision followed Loki as he rounded a corner, looked up to the sky and then continued on. Thor was pleased to see that the metal muzzle and shackles had been removed and his brother looked generally well, if not perhaps a little frustrated.

"Thank you." Thor sighed as the portal closed in on itself and Heimdall removed his sword.

"Stay safe brother…whatever it is you are doing…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Loki emerged triumphantly from the dark stone corridors he had been traversing into a new part of the Labyrinth where the stone walls were not quite so high and were made of a fine coloured sandstone. He could now see the castle before him in the distance, rising up atop a hill at the centre of the Labyrinth.

It was hard to tell exactly how big the Labyrinth was but Loki felt as though he was making good time and so far the Goblin King had obviously chosen not to intervene in order to thwart his efforts as he had felt he would.

He pressed his lips together in a thin line as he thought carefully about his next move, casting cold green eyes about to take in his surroundings. This part of the maze seemed more complex than the last. Where previously he had been dealing with straight corridors and right angle turns, here he could already see stairs, archways and corridors that curved in multiple places.

Heading up a set of stairs and then following a number of twists and turns Loki soon found himself at a dead end. Turning around to go back the way he came he now found that way blocked by a stone wall.

"Curse this infernal maze!" Loki screamed, venting his frustration he clenched long elegant fingers into fists at his sides.

"Looks like you have no where to go but this way."

Loki spun around to find himself confronted by a large stone lion wearing a lopsided stone crown. Beside the lion and about half its size, was a stone frog holding a stone sceptre in one webbed foot as it sat upon a square block of stone.

Loki narrowed his eyes at the two statues; examining them carefully he slowly placed one foot in front of the other as he approached them.

"Not a talkative one are ye?" Asked the stone frog.

Loki paused. This time he had most definitely heard the frog talk, he had even witnessed the frog's stone lips move as he spoke the words.

"It is not often I converse with stone."

"Well you won't get very far if you stick to that mantra good sir." The Lion added, turning his head slightly to look directly at Loki.

"And what exactly is the purpose of talking statues?"

Both the lion and the frog laughed heartily at him.

Loki narrowed his eyes at them and pressed his lips together. He did not take kindly to being mocked by statues. Come to think of it though, he had never been mocked by a statue, until now that is…and he decided he didn't like it.

"Forgive our laughter sir but if you are not prepared to accept things as you see them and learn to ask the right questions you will find the Labyrinth a tricky place to navigate." The lion explained.

"Fine then" Loki sounded exasperated as he pressed three fingers firmly against his forehead. "What is your purpose here?"

"Now yer talking" exclaimed the frog.

"We are the guardians of these passages. Answer our riddle and you may pass."

"There are no passages." Loki hissed through clenched teeth, quickly loosing his temper with the riddle-some pair.

"The passages are not open, that's why ye can't see them." Answered the frog without a question really being directed at him.

"Each of us is keeper of a passage. If you answer correctly the passage that leads to the castle will open. If you get it wrong then the passage that will open to you will lead to certain doom."

"So which of you is the keeper of the passage that leads to the castle?"

"We cannot tell ye. You must be confident in yer answer. Only then will ye know that you have opened the passageway to the castle."

Loki pondered this for a moment before striding intently towards the statues.

"To Hel with this!" He hissed as he placed a hand on the stone lion's head and hoisted himself upward, placing a foot on the edge of the stone base upon which the beast sat. Loki made short work of clambering up the rest of the lion until he stood upon the top of its head. Before the lion even had time to protest Loki's actions he had leapt upward from the lion's head and caught the top edge of the wall in both hands. From there Loki easily hoisted himself up and onto the top of the wall.

Standing atop the wall for a moment he looked back down at the two stone creatures.

"Well it's been fun" Loki said with a satisfactory smirk gracing his lips "but I really must be going." He saluted the statues farewell and leap from the top of the wall, disappearing from view over the other side.

* * *

Jareth had been watching Loki's progress through the Labyrinth with much amusement thus far. Smirking slyly to himself Jareth extended a long slender finger out to touch the image of Loki that appeared in the crystal he grasped gently in his other hand.

"Soon you will be mine…"

He had discarded his more formal clothes for a pair of tight light grey breeches, a white billowy shirt, black vest and a dark brown leather jacket with a curved high collar. Black knee-high boots encased his legs and his horned medallion lay over his chest outside his shirt.

Jareth suddenly sat upright in his throne and raised a questioning eyebrow as he watched Loki begin to clamber up his stone lion. He paused for a moment as he then watched Loki haul himself atop the wall and prepare to leap over the other side.

Jareth narrowed his eyes at the image of Loki in the crystal ball. It would seem that the God of Mischief was taking a few too many liberties with his Labyrinth and Jareth had decided it was time to teach Loki that it did not pay to cheat at his Labyrinth.

Jareth waved his hand and a smirk tugged up the corners of his mouth.

That should allow the mischievous Loki to cool his heels for the moment.

Jareth then waved the crystal from his hand and stood elegantly from his throne. He smoothed down his crumpled clothing and quickly admired his reflection in a filthy mirror. He smiled to himself and a laugh burst fourth from his lips as he disappeared from the throne room, his laughter echoing about the high ceilings long after he had vanished.

* * *

Loki felt more than pleased with himself as he vaulted from the top of the wall over the other side; briefly thinking to himself, as he fell through the air, that the Goblin King really hadn't put enough thought into his Labyrinth.

However, just as his feet were about to connect with the ground Loki's eyes widened in horror as the tiles beneath him fell away to reveal a gaping hole whose depths were so dark he had no way of telling how deep it was.

Loki tried to grab for the edge as he plunged into the pit but it was wider across than he had anticipated and his fingers only briefly rasped across the stone edge before he disappeared into its dark depths. Above him he heard a loud clunk as the stonework closed in above him, blocking out any ray of light that may have illuminated his descent.

It was somewhat eerie, falling through total darkness in near silence. Loki almost felt for a moment that he had been robbed of his senses. That was, until his feet connected heavily with the ground beneath him. He cried out in shock and crumpled into a heap on the floor, tumbling forwards into a pile of straw that appeared to have mostly broken his fall.

Lying on his back Loki groaned loudly as he felt a sharp pain shoot through his spine. He cursed his weakened form and rolled onto his side, struggling for breath as he had also had the wind knocked out of him. His eyes had not yet adjusted to the darkness and he was desperately trying to make out anything in the inky darkness. His green irises were no more than a thin band surrounding his deep black pupils as his eyes tried to let as much light in as possible by which to see.

Still unable to make out more than his hand held directly before his face he regained his feet and carefully shuffled one foot forward as he held a hand out before him, fingers flexing and extending into thin air, searching for something, anything to connect with. He had no concept of how big the space into which he had fallen was, for all he knew it could be as small as a goal cell or as large as an arena. He cursed Odin for stripping him of his powers; he could have produced a light to see by were he not in such a vulnerable state.

Loki stopped suddenly as his fingers connected with something. He cautiously shuffled a little closer, allowing his palm to press up again the cool – _what was that? Leather?_ – that he felt. He suddenly pulled his hand back in surprise as his palm felt a heartbeat pump beneath it.

A smooth silky voice suddenly filled Loki's ears.

"Well…aren't we resourceful…"

Loki immediately recognised the voice of the Goblin King, which in the darkness, though he would never admit to it, sent shivers down his spine.

"I take it that the hole in the ground is a new addition then?" Loki quipped.

Now that Loki was aware of Jareth's presence his senses and his nerves were on edge and he felt the Goblin King take a step closer to him.

Loki's stiffened as he suddenly felt Jareth's presence behind him where only moments ago he had been before him.

"I don't take kindly to those who try to cheat at my Labyrinth." Jareth whispered menacingly into Loki's ear as he stepped into Loki, pressing himself against the other's now ridged back.

"Well perhaps if your Labyrinth were not so pointless –" Loki began but the rest of his words caught in his throat as he unexpectedly felt a hot, wet tongue flick across the delicate shell of his ear.

Loki's mind whirled, confused feelings clashed about in his mind as he desperately tired to make heads or tails of the situation. What was the Goblin King playing at? Loki had been with many women and men in his time but he was always the one in control of the situation, his silver tongue always dictating where the night's, or if the mood ever struck him, day's events went, but he was not in control of this and he wasn't sure he liked that.

It felt…strange for once not to be the one in control of the situation. His head felt light as he tried to control the war that was taking place in his mind, a war between lust and sense, which he feared sense was destined not win…

Jareth chuckled softly as he felt the other man's muscles relax slightly into him.

His warm breath ghosted over Loki's ear sending another shiver down his spine, an intense heat coiling in the pit of his stomach. Loki fought furiously with himself, desperate not to succumb to the basic instincts that were beginning to rule his clouded mind.

Loki's breath was suddenly forced from his lungs as his back collided roughly with a hard rock wall. He hissed as Jareth then pressed his body up against him, crushing him against the hard, rock wall.

Soft, warm lips found the curved shell of Loki's ear.

"I'm not sure you're in a very good position to refer to my Labyrinth as…pointless…" Jareth hissed.

The coil of heat in Loki's stomach tightened as he felt the other man's lithe body press harder up against his own but he steeled himself against the Goblin King's advances, focusing instead on narrowing his eyes at Jareth in the darkness.

"I would say that for you in particular" Jareth continued "my Labyrinth has quite a significant point. After all, without it you would have no means by which to win back your freedom."

Jareth pulled his head back slightly so that he could admire the beauty before him in the darkness. Such a rare, magnificent creature…never had he had one as fine as this gifted to him. _No…_ he thought to himself as he ran the back of a long elegant finger down the side of Loki's face, brushing back a stray strand of dark hair. _Someone else usually takes one as fine as this for their own in the course of their punishment…_

Loki felt somewhat uneasy, trapped in the intense gaze of the Goblin King.

He refused to respond to Jareth's taunts, choosing instead to stare him down in the darkness, his gaze locked with that of the Goblin King. Intense green eyes bore into mismatched blue eyes and Loki felt the Goblin King waiver for a moment under his stare.

Jareth, thrown out slightly by the intensity Loki was projecting at him, was of course quick to gain his composure. In the darkness he watched the corner of Loki's lips tug upwards in a sly smirk as the God realised he had briefly unsettled the Goblin King. This of course would not stand. Jareth intended to quickly gain the upper hand and teach the other man who was in control of things in his realm.

Loki's mind suddenly went blank as soft, warm lips were crushed up against his. A firm hand was placed on each of his shoulders, pressing him harder up against the rock wall, which dug uncomfortably into his back. A tiny gasp escaped his lips as he felt Jareth's body press up against his own and set every never in his body on fire. The tiny gasp was all Jareth needed for his tongue to gain access to the other's mouth and he smirked against Loki's lips as he felt the other man begin to respond to him. An elegant hand slipped it's way up to the back of his head and gripped a fistful of his wild golden mane, pulling him towards the other and crushing their lips together, teeth clashing as each man fought desperately to dominate the kiss.

Jareth moaned quietly as he felt Loki pull him to him, seeking to deepen their kiss and engage in a duel for supremacy. Jareth of course would never allow the other to gain the upper hand but for the moment he was certainly enjoying the ferocity of the kiss. Jareth flinched slightly as Loki bit down on his lower lip, just enough to draw blood, the coppery tang mixing in their mouths driving both into a frenzy and Jareth reacted by forcing himself harder up against Loki, heated loins meeting beneath thin fabric and soft leather creating a maddening friction.

Loki groaned and tossed his head back against the cool rock wall in a desperate attempted to douse the heat that had taken over his body, flushing his face and quickening his breath. Sharp teeth quickly took advantage of the exposed white flesh of his long elegant neck and Jareth bit down gently on the flesh beneath his lips. Long, slender fingers slid down from a shoulder, over the fabric and leather that clothed Loki's muscled torso, slipping lower to dance over his stomach before the wandering hand slipped down between their heated bodies to press firmly against Loki's arousal through soft leather pants.

Loki's mind was a haze of lust and desire, his breathing heavy he knew he was not currently in a position to make sensible decisions about the best course to take. He had to gain the upper, he had to take control of the situation or he would soon loose the ability to resist the Goblin King. The hand over his groin was driving him to distraction but he knew he had to draw Jareth's attention away.

"Well perhaps your Labyrinth is not pointless…" Loki's voice was thick and husky with lust but when he felt the hand rubbing over the bulge in is pants still, he knew that Jareth had at least heard him.

"But it is most certainly too easy."

Jareth pulled away from him immediately, taking a full step back. Loki almost breathed a sigh of relief as he was finally able to slow his breathing and allow the heat to seep from his flushed skin into the cool air of the underground pit. He quickly regained his facilities and smirked confidently in the dark at the blond man.

Jareth said nothing at first. He narrowed his eyes at other man and his lips, swollen from their intense kiss only moments ago, now pressed together in a thin line. The Goblin King outwardly maintained his composure but internally he was fuming. No one referred to his Labyrinth as _easy_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

…_The Goblin King outwardly maintained his composure but internally he was fuming. No one referred to his Labyrinth as easy…_

Loki squinted against the small amount of light that had now inexplicably lit the cavern. His eyes quickly adjusted to the light and before him stood the Goblin King, eyes narrowed, lips a thin line and brows knit together in a combination of anger and frustration. Loki couldn't help but smirk.

Jareth was attractive, there was no doubt about that and if he had to be honest with himself he had enjoyed the kiss, the contact, the heat and the friction but he was also far too aware that the clock was still ticking and ultimately he needed to maintain the upper hand and defeat the Goblin King.

"If you find my Labyrinth so easy then" a menacing tone laced the Globin King's voice "perhaps I should make it a little more challenging for you."

Jareth called a crystal to his fingertips with a flick of his wrist. He then pitched the crystal ball straight past Loki's ear towards the wall behind him. Loki turned his head to follow the crystal's path and noticed that the wall that had been at his back only moments ago was now several meters behind him. The crystal shattered against the rock wall and where it had hit appeared a large metal cone-shaped contraption. It seemed to be made of several interlocking cuffs down the length of the cone, which spun in an alternating clockwise or anticlockwise direction. Each of these cuffs then had a number of sharp knife or scissor looking devices attached to it on long arms that also spun in opposing directions.

Loki's eyes widened as it dawned on him that without his power he had little choice but to run from this contraption or risk being shredded into a bloody mess by it.

He turned back to Jareth to let the Goblin King know how he felt about the _rules_ of his game only to find that he had disappeared. Loki cursed him loudly before he began his sprint down the long stone tunnel that had opened up where Jareth had been standing only moments ago.

The tunnel was dark and his ears were filed with the pounding of his own footsteps as well as the clattering and piercing scraping of metal against stone. Lucky for him he was a swift runner and so had managed to put a bit of distance between himself and the deadly metal contraption. He risked a quick glance over his shoulder though and noticed that the machine had increased its pace and was quickly gaining on him. Beginning to think he wasn't going to be able to outrun it and desperately wanting to get away from the awful noise reverberating around the dark tunnel, Loki started to look around for an alternative plan.

The machine was getting closer and Loki could feel his heart beginning to pound faster in his chest. He needed an escape route, that or he needed his powers returned to him so that he could obliterate the spinning, screeching, scraping contraption.

Suddenly, to his right he spotted a wooden ladder propped up against the wall. Loki quickly checked behind him to make sure the machine was not bearing down upon him before grabbing onto a rung at head height and hauling himself up. Climbing as quickly as he could manage on the rotten old ladder Loki placed one hand over the other and his feet followed just as quickly. Reaching the top of the ladder he didn't have much time before the contraption, rumbling and screeching down the tunnel reached the ladder and destroyed it beneath his feet.

The top of the ladder was set just below a rotten wooden trapdoor, small droplets of water seeped through the cracks in the wood and splashed down to the stone floor below. Loki didn't have time to ponder this; he had to get out of here now.

Reaching up he turned the ring that served as the handle, unlocking the trapdoor. However, nothing happened. Realising that the trapdoor must open upwards Loki pushed up against it with one hand but the door did not budge. Quickly balancing himself on the ladder he placed both hands above his head and pushed upwards against the door. It was heavy, really heavy and barely moved so Loki pushed against it as hard as he could.

Letting out a frustrated breath he dropped his hands to his side and, looking down realised he was almost out of time. He quickly clambered up two extra rungs so that he was forced to stoop over beneath the door and with a loud grunt he thrust his upper body upwards and against the trapdoor. He groaned as the impact sent pain shooting through his shoulder but he had to try again. Smashing his shoulder into the door again he hissed in pain but the door creaked and groaned and the dripping water turned into small streams of water.

Loki knew he only had time for one more attempt and so, bracing himself, he crashed his shoulder into the rotten trapdoor with as much force as he could muster. Wood cracked and splintered and with a loud crash and a gushing torrent of water the trapdoor finally gave way.

Loki gripped the top of the ladder tightly as a waterfall of water was dumped over his head, as well as a few pieces of rotten wood, and cascaded down into the tunnel below him. Ducking his head and bracing himself against the flow of water Loki was soaked from head to foot. He was not focused on this however, he needed to get out of the tunnel before the ladder holding him up was destroyed by the machine that must surely be upon him by now.

The flow of water eased and without a second to spare Loki reached up and, gripping the edge of the opening left behind the splintered trapdoor, hauled himself upwards; just as he heard the deadly metal contraption smash through the ladder and continue down the tunnel. Loki grunted as he pulled himself through the square opening he had created and, once his body was all the way through he rolled onto his back and lay panting heavily on a wet, mossy concrete slab.

Staring up at the sky Loki didn't think he ever been so pleased to see the sun. However, as he lay there enjoying it's light and warmth for a moment it occurred to him that, depending on how far across the sky the sun had moved since he had last seen it, he may be running out of time. Groaning as he sat up Loki rubbed his shoulder, which was sore and was sure to bruise in a few hours.

Come to think of it though, he had no idea what that sun's movement across the sky meant in this realm. How long was their day? How many hours of daylight did they receive each day? Was there more than one sun? All of the questions raced through Loki's mind and it bothered him greatly that he had no answers to them. Casting these thoughts aside for the moment he decided to accept that it was a good sign that the sun was still in the sky and presume that meant that he at least had a handful of hours remaining in which to complete the Labyrinth.

* * *

Jareth sat on a window ledge in his throne room, glass of dark red wine clutched delicately in one hand, swirling the ruby liquid thoughtfully, the other hand holding a crystal ball up to his gaze. A satisfied smirk graced his lips as he sipped his wine and watched the saturated Loki pull himself from the hole in the tunnel roof.

The Goblin King ran his tongue across his lips as he watched the dripping wet man sit up and look up at the sky. Loki's dark hair was matted to his face and tiny streams of water meandered down his skin, flowing from escaped strands of hair and over his cheeks, nose and lips. His clothes were soaked through and Jareth felt a heat flush his face as he thought of the God having to remove them…

* * *

Loki brushed his wet hair back off his face and stood, slowly taking in the surroundings where he found himself. Upon inspection he appeared to be standing in an old mossy, and now empty, stone fountain. Grumbling about the absurdity of everything he encountered in the Underground, Loki carefully stepped out of the fountain and pondered his next move.

Before him was the start of a part of the Labyrinth that had clearly been crafted as a hedge maze, though the once perfectly sculpted bushes had seen better days. Jareth had so few children challenge his Labyrinth that he had fallen a little behind in its upkeep. To his right was a closed wooden door and a large sandstone wall enclosed the rest of the courtyard he found himself in.

Glancing from one to the other, Loki contemplated which of the two options presented to him was the better one. A smirk spread across his face as his gaze fell upon a statue of a knight carrying a metal halberd. Loki crossed the courtyard in a few long strides and with a sharp tug, pulled the halberd from the stone grip of the knight.

Laughing to himself he headed for the start of the hedge maze, in no way intending to puzzle his way through it, he instead planned to hack his way straight through using the halberd.

"You best not be doing what you're planning to do." A gruff voice pipped up behind him.

Loki hunched his shoulders, narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips tightly together in frustration as he realised he was going to have to deal with yet another bizarre distraction in this acquired Hel. Turning slowly on his heel the still dripping wet Loki glared down at the unfortunate looking dwarf behind him.

"And what makes you think I care whether you approve of what I'm planning to do?" Loki said almost menacingly as he gripped the heavy halberd in both hands.

Hoggle swallowed loudly and muttered incomprehensibly to himself as he shifted nervously from on foot to the other.

"You see…well because…well you see…if you're planning to chop your way through that hedge maze there Jareth would be considering that cheating and I've been sent here to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't try to…well…cheat."

Loki laughed loudly and flipped the halberd upside down, placing the heavy metal weapon's head on the ground and leaning against the long pole that protruded up from it.

"Why does that concern me?"

"Well I guess it doesn't…..but it sure concerns me."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"And how exactly does it concern you?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes questioningly at the dwarf.

"Because I'm a coward and Jareth scares me."

Loki did not drop his raised eyebrow he merely widened his eyes a little while maintaining an overall blank expression. Well he certainly couldn't fault the little fool for not being honest.

"Well I think you'll find that I don't really care if you're afraid of Jareth or not. I have to get through this joke of maze before my thirteen hours are up and if getting there quicker means hacking my way through a few bushes you can be damn sure I'm going to do it."

"Err…..uhh well…."

Hoggle shifted nervously from one foot to the other as he wrestled with his conscience.

Loki sighed in frustration and went to right the halberd so he could begin cutting himself a more direct path through the hedge maze.

"Wait! What if I told you that I could show you a quicker way to the centre of the Labyrinth, one that didn't involve destroying the hedge maze."

Loki stopped what he was doing and directed his attention towards Hoggle.

"I'm listening."

"Jareth will have my head if you start messing up his hedge maze so if I agree to show you a quicker way around the hedge maze so that you don't have to go charging through it then do you promise not to chop it all up with that there halberd?" Hoggle pointed at the weapon in Loki's hand.

"And why should I trust you? For all I know Jareth has sent you here to lead me further away from the castle so that he stands a better chance of winning."

Hoggle stood silently for a moment, contemplating the conundrum he found himself in.

"I'll give you me jewels to hang on to until I get you to the other side of the hedge maze." Hoggle held out the small brown bag of jewels to Loki.

Loki looked at the small filthy bag sceptically.

"And this holds value to you?"

Hoggle looked confused. He didn't really understand the question, after all of course the jewels were valuable, otherwise he wouldn't carry them around all the time.

The two stood in silence for a few moments before Loki gave in and took the bag of jewels from Hoggle.

"Fine. I won't destroy the hedge maze. But you will take me to the other side by this short cut of yours and if I get the slightest sense that you're leading me away from my goal I will see to it personally that you are delivered to the Goblin King's doorstep."

Hoggle swallowed nervously. He was suddenly not so certain who he was more afraid of, Jareth or this tall dark stranger.

Loki tucked the small bag into his belt and lifted the halberd so that it rested across one shoulder. He then motioned for Hoggle to show him the way.

"I'm only taking you to the other side of the hedge maze. After that you're on your own."

"You have my word." Loki replied with a dangerous smile that unnerved Hoggle.

Loki watched carefully as the dwarf headed towards the wooden door he had seen before off to the side of the hedge maze. Hoggle reached for a ring of keys that hung from his belt and he quickly flicked through the keys until he found the one he was looking for. Holding the key up he inserted it into the door's lock and turned it with a heavy clunk. He then removed the key and returned the key ring to his belt. Turning the doorknob the door swung out wards and Hoggle stepped out of the way to reveal a dark corridor full of dense spider webs that swayed slowly in the draughts blowing through the tunnel.

"And this is supposed to be a short cut." Loki was not filled with confidence looking into the darkness.

The tunnel had clearly not been used for a long time, judging but the proliferance of spider webs and dust so he had his doubts that it was a short cut.

"Yep. No one knows about it cept me so no one uses it. That's why it's so filthy. I suppose it could do with a clean. Maybe later I'll come back and give it a bit of…"

"Enough!" Loki cut off Hoggle as he began to ramble.

"Let's just get through this so that I can get back to defeating this Labyrinth, I've already wasted more than enough time on you."

Hoggle shrugged and shuffled slowly into the darkness of the tunnel.

"Well there's no need to be rude. I am helping you out here you know."

Loki muttered under his breath about how he shouldn't have to suffer such fools and if he weren't so helplessly without his powers he wouldn't suffer such fools.

Loki had to stoop over slightly as he entered the tunnel and he was forced to carry the heavy halberd at his side. The pair pressed on into the darkness, brushing thick sticky spider webs out of their way as they went. Loki heard the echo of the wooden door closing behind them and plunging them into darkness. Hoggle lit a candle that he had apparently been carrying to provide them with a tiny amount of warm light by which to see.

"How long is this tunnel?"

Loki enquired after they had been walking through the tunnel for what seemed like a proportionately long length of time, brushing yet another spider web from his face.

"Err I'm not sure" Hoggle responded after a slight pause. "We should be near the end soon though."

_We had better be_. Loki thought to himself. He was being to grow impatient and was well and truly tired of having to fight his way through the sticky mess of webs.

Hoggle stopped suddenly and were it not for the candle he was carrying Loki would have gone crashing into the back of him, or rather his knees would have crashed into the back of him.

"Here we are!" Hoggle cried out in excitement.

Loki heard the creak of a wooden door followed by natural light flooding into the tunnel. He squinted and blinked slowly several times as his eyes adjusted to the onslaught of light after the darkness of the tunnel.

Hoggle emerged from the tunnel first and Loki quickly followed, straightening up as he stepped out through the door. He rose up again to his full height, stretching his back as he had been stooped over for longer than had been comfortable. Glancing around he soon realised that the dwarf had in fact brought him to the other side of the hedge maze and in much less time then it would have taken him to chop his way through.

"There, you're on the other side. Now gives me back me jewels and I'll be going on my way."

Hoggle held out his hand for his jewels.

"And what if I choose not to return these to you?" Loki questioned mischievously as he held the bag of jewels out before him by the thin rope that held it closed.

"Them's my rightful property!"

Loki laughed.

"I think I might hang on to them until you show me the way to the castle."

Hoggle put his hands on his hips and stomped his foot, his face growing red with anger.

Loki took a look at how far away the castle appeared now and briefly thought about whether he could tolerate the annoying chatty dwarf for any additional length of time. Finally Loki sighed.

"On second thoughts, I think I'll make my own way to the castle. You're going to be busy finding these."

With that Loki threw the small bag of jewels into the air, sending it sailing over the tops of the hedges until it disappeared from sight.

"Ooooo!" Hoggle grumbled in frustration as he took off into the hedge maze after his jewels. "I'm not sure who's worse. You, or Jareth!"

Loki laughed hysterically as the dwarf shuffled quickly off after his precious possessions. Shaking his head in mirth Loki cast his gaze up to the sky to get a sense of how much time he might have. However, he'd gotten turned around so many times now and had been in and out of dark tunnels he wasn't sure which way was east or west now. He decided it was best to assume that more time had passed than he had left and so with that in mind he pressed on.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:**

I'm terribly sorry for the delay on getting this chapter out but it's here now so hopefully it was worth the wait.

Thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story so far! You're comments and words of praise continue to encourage me and in the case of a few comments have even inspired me to change a few plot points in the overall course of this story.

Thank you also to all those following this story and those of you who have added it to your list of favourite stories.

Please continue to review as your words of inspiration drive me to persist with this fic.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Loki had been wandering through the next part of the Labyrinth for what seemed like an eternity but which he hoped had been no more than an hour. He finally emerged from behind a stone wall to find himself confronted with, not yet more angular stone walls, but a forest. The forest was dark and overgrown with enormous trees whose branches sagged almost to the ground and undergrowth that crept across the path leading through the forest so badly that in some places the path could not been seen through the shrubbery.

Loki glared at the foreboding forest before him and hoisted the halberd he had been dragging along with him onto his shoulder. He knew there was a reason he had chosen to taken the cumbersome weapon along with him and now, he thought as one corner of his mouth tugged upwards in a small smirk, he was finally going to be able to put it to some use.

The God of Mischief sauntered into the darkness of the dense forest, entirely confident that he was going to have no trouble reaching the other side of it. There was clear that there had once been a path that lead one from this side to the other but it was also apparent that it would be very easy to become lost in places where the path disappeared from sight beneath the undergrowth and low hanging tree branches and surely once you had strayed from the path it would be almost impossible to find your way back to it.

Following the path into the depths of the forest Loki had not yet found a need to use his halberd, merely ducking beneath tree branches and stepping over trails of undergrowth. He continued on this way for a while before he found that the path disappeared under a thick set of undergrowth and when he stood up on the tips of his toes to see where the path emerged from the shrubs all he could see was more flora. He had reached a point where the path disappeared entirely and succumbed to the forest.

Not wanting to fall victim to the forest Loki took in a deep breath as he hauled the halberd above his head and adopted a wide stance, bracing himself to begin clearing a path. With a roar he brought the halberd down heavily upon the shrubbery covering the path and the axe head tore through the green stems of the bushes. Loki grinned wickedly as he raised the halberd above his head and over and over and over again brought the deadly edge of the axe head down on the undergrowth that was blocking the path.

He was quickly making progress, kicking aside the torn pieces of greenery as he went, clearing the path and along with it, his way out of the gloomy forest. Still with a fair way to go, from what he could see before him, Loki raised the halberd over his head once again, preparing to strike a blow to a low hanging tree branch as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of his face when he suddenly felt the weapon's weight disappear from his grasp.

"What!?" Loki cried out, startled by the sudden loss of the heavy weapon and unable to stop his momentum, already on the downward swing. He tumbled to the ground, thrown off balance entirely and unable to stop his fall.

Lying on his back amongst the shredded green leaves of the bushes he had been hacking his way through Loki looked up at a wickedly grinning Jareth who, filling his vision as he leant over him, was holding the halberd in one hand and shaking his head slowly from side to side.

"Tsk, tsk. I would really rather that you didn't destroy my Labyrinth in the process of loosing our little game."

"I am not loosing." Loki grumbled, more to himself than to the Goblin King, who loomed over the top of him.

Loki propped himself up on his elbows and narrowed his eyes at Jareth.

"If I were loosing, then you wouldn't be here now would you?" Loki remarked snidely as he sat up and turned his body partway round to glare at Jareth.

The Goblin King merely smirked back wickedly at him, which only served to infuriate Loki further.

Loki picked himself up and brushed down his clothes. He was greatly annoyed by the state they were now in and usually would not tolerate it, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it for the moment until he had won his little wager with the Goblin King.

Jareth stood up from his stooped position and the halberd disappeared from his hand. He circled the dusty and now slightly tattered looking God of Mischief and smiled wickedly to himself. His tongue flicking out briefly to moisten his lips as he cast his gaze up and down the other man's figure.

Loki followed Jareth as best he could with his eyes, turning his head as Jareth would disappear and then reappear from behind him. The Goblin King's circling was slowly starting to get on his nerve, that and he didn't appreciate the predatory look he was eyeing him off with. His stomach clenched slightly as he recalled his last encounter with the Goblin King in the depths of the overwhelming darkness of the pit he had fallen into.

Loki had managed to work out one thing for certain about Jareth so far and that was that he appeared to show up out of nowhere with some sort of trap or…distraction right when Loki looked like he was starting to make some headway.

"Granted you are making much better progress than I thought you would, that is not why I'm here."

Loki pulled a small twig from his hair and flicked it onto the path at his feet. He then looked back up at Jareth as though he were not particularly interested in what he had to say. The corner of Jareth's mouth twitched and his eyes narrowed; clearly annoyed at Loki's attitude towards their current exchange.

Faster than Loki could blink he found his back slammed up against the rough bark of a gnarly old tree, Jareth's hand fisted in the fabric of his tunic. He managed to maintain his composure but couldn't help the whoosh of air that escaped his lungs and the subsequent cough that followed as he tried to replace the lost oxygen.

_I really must stop letting him get the jump on me like this_ - Loki thought to himself as he started straight into the depths of the mismatched blue eyes that were boring into him.

"I'm here because we've had this conversation before. Not that long ago actually. I don't suppose you recall my informing you that I don't appreciate those who choose to _cheat_ at my Labyrinth?"

"I think you and I have a very different idea of what cheating entails."

Loki felt his feet leave the ground as Jareth lifted him into the air by the scruff of his tunic. Loki was actually finding that he was rather enjoying getting the Goblin King hot under the collar. He was clearly not used to being challenged and so Loki was determined to test him every step of the way.

"I was merely…doing a little gardening." Loki smirked.

Jareth's lips pressed together in to a thin line and he narrowed his eyes at the beautiful God he was currently holding up by his shirt. Loki continued to smirk back down at him and this only served to further infuriate Jareth.

The Goblin King slowly lowered Loki back to his feet and released his tunic from his grip. He then placed a hand against the tree bark on either side of Loki's head and leant into the other man until their bodies were pressed flush against one another and their noses were barely touching.

"I suggest you think twice next time you decide to cheat your way through part of my Labyrinth because the next time I might not be so lenient." Jareth moved his head further forward so that he could whisper the final word into the shell of Loki's ear.

Loki shivered involuntarily as warm breath ghosted over his ear. He swallowed hard and fought to control his reaction to the sudden close proximity of the Goblin King. There was no denying the physical attraction, were their roles reversed or were he not currently powerless and competing against the other for his freedom Loki may have been more…receptive to Jareth's obvious advances; that or he may have been making his own…

Loki's smirk was unseen by Jareth, whose face was pressed up against the side of Loki's finely angled cheekbone but the God of Mischief did have to bite back a moan as Jareth's lips latched on to the milky white skin of his exposed neck.

Loki felt Jareth's heart beat faster against his chest as the hands to either side of his hand began to trail their way down his sides while soft hot lips trailed kisses over the sleek column of his neck. Loki fought to keep his own breathing steady and even but when Jareth's teeth bit down on the protrusion of his collarbone a soft gasp escaped his lips and he lost the battle, each breath now coming out in quick, ragged succession.

Loki's thoughts scattered as one of Jareth's hands brushed softly over the bulge in his breeches, the result of his inability to suppress his physical reaction to Jareth's lips on his neck. He could feel the heat of the Goblin King's own arousal pressed against his thigh through the fabric of their breeches and knew the friction would be fuelling Jareth's desire.

Loki leant his head back against the trunk of the tree, exposing more of his neck to the Goblin King who wasted no time trailing kisses along it's length and up to Loki's mouth. Their lips met, pressing urgently into one another and Jareth's tongue immediately sought entry into the other's mouth. Loki parted his lips slightly allowing Jareth's tongue entrance into the heat of his mouth. Two tongues fought desperately for supremacy and teeth clashed as Loki's hands slipped down Jareth's back until they reached the other's hips where they paused and fingers dug into what little flesh was there through Jareth's shirt.

Loki fought to maintain control over his thoughts but they were quickly escaping him; the long slender fingers rubbing against his arousal through his tight leather breeches weren't exactly helping the situation. He knew he had to gain the upper hand somehow or risk loosing himself to his body's physical demands and wasting precious time when he should be advancing through the Labyrinth.

Jareth's eyes flared as his back suddenly collided with the trunk of the tree he had his prey pressed up against only seconds before. Loki leered at Jareth as he held him against the tree with the length of his body, his hands placed firmly in the centre of his chest.

Jareth remained shocked for a moment before the corners of his mouth tugged upwards into a satisfied smirk.

"You're trying to distract me." Loki hissed as he pressed Jareth firmly against the tree.

"I believe I'm doing a rather good job of it too." Jareth's smirk grew wider as he watched Loki's blood begin to boil over his remark.

"No more!" Loki shoved himself away from the Goblin King using the hands firmly placed on the other's chest.

He turned his back on the Goblin King but twisted his head around to lock eyes with him as Jareth eased himself away from the tree. He met Loki's icy stare and took a few steps towards him.

"Well I suppose I have distracted you long enough. You certainly can't say you weren't enjoying it on some level though.." Jareth raised an eyebrow as he nodded his head towards the obvious bulge in Loki's tight black leather pants.

Loki growled softly under his breath.

"Perhaps if we had more time…" Jareth mused, more to himself than to anyone else.

Loki didn't respond, nor did he make a move to leave the clearing.

"Very well, I suppose I could allow you to get back to stumbling your way through my Labyrinth."

Loki gritted his teeth together but refused to open his mouth, knowing that his words at that moment would be likely to get him in to trouble. He thought it best to remain silent, though he certainly desired to inform the Goblin King that there would be no need for stumbling if he bothered to do the occasional spot of maintenance to his ridiculous maze.

"Before you go, take this."

Jareth tossed a large fuzzy peach at Loki, who caught it deftly and examined it carefully in his hand, wondering at first where it had come from and then why the Goblin King was giving it to him. He directed a questioning look Jareth's way.

"In case you get hungry." Jareth said with a wicked smirk. "After all, you still have a long way to go."

With that said Jareth's form faded away and Loki was left alone once again in the depths of the dark, gloomy forest, clutching a peach in one hand and mulling over the absurdity of everything in this preposterous realm.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Apologies for the lateness of this update but hopefully the next chapter will not be so delayed. Enjoy!**  
**

**Chapter Eight**

Loki continued his trek through the dense gloomy forest; no longer equipped with the halberd he was forced to rip out the occasional creeping vine or snap the odd low hanging branch to clear his path. However, the undergrowth soon became too thick to tear out of his way and he was forced to climb over it where he could and detour around he where he could not. Soon he had lost sight of the path entirely and not too long after that he was lost.

Loki stopped in his tracks and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. Frustrated by the fact that he had allowed himself to become lost in the foreboding forest he needed a moment to think and to plan out his next move.

Without the path to lead him through the forest he could pick any direction to walk in and not be certain that he would ever emerge from the trees. Further to this, the forest was so dense that very little light filtered through the canopy to melt the thick fog that pooled around the bases of the trees and this meant that Loki could not use the sun as his guide either. Short of finding that annoying chatty dwarf he had recruited earlier, finding his way out of the forest was going to prove difficult and, of greater concern for Loki, time consuming.

"Hey you!"

Loki turned slowly in the direction the voice had come from, part of him dreading what ridiculous creature he was going to have to deal with now. He couldn't afford any more distractions right now.

Loki's eyes widened slowly and one eyebrow arched upwards as he was confronted with a line of four orange, gangly, hairy creatures with wild googly eyes and strange beaks for mouths.

_Why me?_ It was all Loki could really think as the strange orange creatures began cackling away to themselves.

"He's funny looking." Said one of them while another rolled about on the ground laughing in response.

For a brief moment Loki contemplated asking them for directions out of the forest, however he quickly dismissed this as a feasible option when he recalled the lengthy delays he had faced so far when dealing with the strange creatures of the Labyrinth.

He turned on his heel and began to walk away, not sure where he was going or if he was going in the right direction, all he knew was that it was a direction that would take him away from the crazy orange monsters.

"Hey! Where you going crazy man!"

Loki was forced to stop suddenly when he found his path blocked by one of the orange beasts.

"I'm trying to get out of this forest, and away from you and your fluorescent buddies over there." Loki pointed back at the other three creatures who all proceeded to fall to the ground cackling away.

"Why would you want to leave?" One of the creatures on the ground asked as it picked itself and one of its companions up.

"Yeah! Don't you want to have some fun?"

The orange monsters then started dancing around Loki cackling and lifting their heads off their shoulders with clawed hands and tossing them around before returning them to their shoulders.

Loki pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead in frustration at the insanity of the scene before him.

"Do you know the way out of here?"

"We don't want you to leave." Screeched one of the monsters as it latched itself onto Loki's back and started to tug upwards on his head.

Loki grunted in surprise both at the creature suddenly attaching itself to him and then at the painful tugging on his head.

"What on Asgrad are you doing!" Loki reached behind his head to try and grab the creature and pry it off.

"You're head don't come off?"

The creature sounded confused as Loki threw his arms behind his head and grabbed at the furry monster. It hopped from Loki's shoulders, cackling like a hyena and bounded across the forest floor to join its companions.

"Why would my-" Loki paused and shook his head unable to muster up the patience to deal with the crazy mob "never mind."

The hairy orange creatures fell over and rolled about with laughter. Loki stood impatiently and narrowed his eyes at them. He was beginning to think he would be best off just leaving the clearly unstable animals to…whatever it is they were doing.

Just as he was about to give up on the cackling bunch Loki arched an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth lifted just a little. He had an idea that might just get him out of this gloomy nightmare he had been wandering around in for he could not longer recall how long.

"Tell me again why you want to take off my head?"

The orange creatures all stopped their hysterical laughter and stood up again on their long gangly, unstable legs. Now that Loki he their attention he strode confidently over to where they stood and eyed each one of them. One placed its clawed hands over its break to stifle its laughter and Loki glared at it through narrowed eyes.

"Now, you will tell me how to get out of this forest or…I will keep your heads all to myself."

Quicker than the furry orange beasts could react, Loki had seized each of their heads from off their shoulders and held two in each hand by the long orange shock of hair that sprouted from between their ears. He then hoisted himself gracefully up into the branches of the nearest tree while the Fireys bodies ran about in confusion, bumping into trees and each other. Loki scaled the tree until he had reached the thinning branches at the top, the surprised head of the Fireys dangling from his grasp.

Loki turned the four head to look at him.

"Tell me how to get out of this forest and I will return your heads to your bodies."

He demonstrated his point by turning the head to so they could look down at their bodies running about beneath them.

"Hey! You can't do this!"

"Yeah! You're only allowed to take off your own head!"

The heads all started yammering at him all at once and Loki had to fight the urge to throw them all to the ground below him in frustration.

"Shut up! All of you!" He hissed at the four heads.

They fell silent and focused their googly eyes on him.

"Now listen carefully. I have your heads, and if you don't tell me how to escape this dreadful forest I will throw your heads so far away that it will take your bodies weeks to find them!"

The heads all exchanged lopsided looks before turning their attention back to Loki.

"Just climb the tree a little higher and you'll see you're almost on the edge of the forest now."

Loki gave the head that had spoken an unsure sideways look before he nimbly clambered to the top of the tree. His head emerged from the thick canopy and true to the Firey's word, no more than one hundred meters away the thick flora of the forest thinned out until there was nothing more than a dirt track leading through a wrought iron gate set in a tall bluestone wall.

Loki swiftly descended from the treetop, leaping from the last few branches to land gracefully on the forest floor.

"Now give back our heads!"

Loki tossed the four heads in the general direction of their flailing bodies. Not a single Firey caught its head, which instead landed with a thud on the mossy ground and rolled until each came to a stop against a tree trunk, stone or fallen log.

While the orange beasts wandered around bumping into each other as they scrambled to retrieve their heads Loki did not even to bother glancing backwards as he headed in a straight line in the direction of the forest's edge.

Never straying from his course Loki soon found the mist thinning and tiny rays of light began to pierce the darkness. He quickened his pace and before long streams of bright sunlight were pouring into the dank gloom, lighting his way and burning his eyes. He blinked frantically against the onslaught of light but did not slow his steps once. Finally, he burst forth from the trees and stood, breathing deeply, with the forest at his back and the tall bluestone wall with its wrought iron gate before him.

* * *

Jareth watched with amusement as Loki continued to make his way through the forest where he had left him. He had developed a fondness for the tall brunette, which extended beyond the initial physical attraction he had felt. The God of Mischief was certainly living up to his name thus far, taking short cuts and cheating wherever he could, challenging Jareth at every step. The Goblin King only wished that their few brief encounters since Loki's arrival had lasted longer…

Loki had a fire that burned so intensely it had restored Jareth's enthusiasm for his age-old game. Until now Jareth had been growing tired of the Labyrinth and its predictable contestants. None truly posed a change for him…well except…

Jareth shook his head to clear the memory of his one and only failure and refocused his attention on the crystal ball perched at his fingertips. Loki had just run into the Fireys and Jareth settled back into his throne, curious to see how he dealt with the manic orange beasts. He chuckled in amusement as Loki struggled to get anything sensible from the furry monsters.

Jareth's head suddenly snapped up. His eyes flared and his intense gaze focused out the window of his tower that faced the entrance to the Labyrinth. The sky had turned an angry shade of grey and storm clouds swirled menacingly. A blot of lighting filled the sky and thunder boomed across the vast expanse of the Underground.

Jareth flew from his throne, catching himself against the stone ledge of the open window before his momentum carried him partway through the opening. Leaning forward his eyes darted across the sky as he searched for something to explain the sudden change in the atmosphere. Only he could manipulate the Underground and that included every aspect of it, right down to the weather. This was not a storm he had created and that made him nervous, or at least as close to being nervous as Jareth had probably ever gotten.

An enormous bolt of lighting accompanied by a deafening boom of thunder streaked its way through the sky to viciously strike the ground on the other side of the Labyrinth's boundary wall.

Jareth narrowed his eyes and decided that this probably required his attention. He straightened himself up and with a final glance up at the slowly dissolving storm clouds, vanished from his throne room to tend to whatever matter may have manifested itself beyond the walls of his kingdom.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Loki sat in the dirt with his back to the bluestone wall, his knees were drawn up to his chest and he had let his head fall back against the wall as he gazed up at the sky, which was beginning to darken as storm clouds gathered overhead. After wandering around the bluestone maze with its enormous unscaleable walls Loki had decided to afford himself a short rest. He was starving and had not eaten since he had been cast into the Underground, actually come to think of it he hadn't eaten since Thor had brought him back to Asgard from Midgard. His stomach growled and he was becoming painfully aware that the lack of nutrients was beginning to take its toll, his energy was wanning and if he didn't find something soon in this barren wasteland that he could eat he wasn't sure how much longer he could go on.

Loki suddenly smiled and laughed softly. He lowered his gaze from the sky and slowly reached a hand into a pocket concealed within his black and green leather tunic. He drew his hand back out and clutched gently in his grip was the large fuzzy peach Jareth had given him earlier.

A flash of lighting followed almost immediately by a clap of thunder distracted Loki from the peach for a moment. He narrowed his eyes up at the sky in confusion. Normally he knew exactly what followed this particular phenomenon but down here, in the Underground, he was no so sure.

* * *

Jareth materialised beside the hollowed skeleton of a twisted, gnarly dead tree. He stepped behind it's blacken trunk to conceal himself from the figure that was pacing back and fourth along the Labyrinth's boundary wall at the bottom of the sandy hill upon which Jareth stood.

Thor paced along the wall, growling under his breath, Mjölnir gipped so tightly in his hand that his knuckles had turned white. He ground his teeth together in frustration as he stalked further and further along the wall barring his way without any sign of an entrance.

Reaching the limits of his patience Thor stopped before the wall and with a throaty roar brought Mjölnir down heavily upon the stones before him. Cracks radiated through the rocks from the centre of the hammer's heavy blow. Shoulders heaving as he breathed heavily Thor raised Mjölnir above his head and prepared to strike the wall again.

"I'd rather you didn't do that."

Thor almost dropped Mjölnir as a silky voice spoke close to his ear. He halted his swing and lowered the hammer to his side as he turned his head slightly to the left to find a man's face close to his own. Icy blue mismatched eyes met his own and Thor quickly took in the sharply defined facial features of the man beside him framed by a mane of wild golden hair.

"You see…" Jareth continued "this is _my_ kingdom and that there is _my_ Labyrinth, which surrounds _my_ castle and this…" Jareth pointed a long slender finger at the wall before them "is _my_ wall."

Jareth moved to stand between Thor and the wall, the two never unlocking their gaze.

"So you can see why I would really rather that you did not smash holes in _my_ wall"

"Where is my brother!?" Thor roared at Jareth.

The Goblin King blinked slowly but otherwise did not react to the rage-fuelled question.

"Don't smash my wall"

Thor gripped Jareth by the front of his white painters shirt and lifted him up off the ground.

"Tell me where my brother is! I know he's here."

Thor suddenly felt himself pressed to his knees and his grip on Jareth's shirtfront failed as the Goblin King's feet touched the ground once again.

Jareth took his time adjusting his clothing so that it sat just right after Thor had pulled his shirt partly up from his waistcoat. Thor meanwhile struggled in vain to stand, his brow furrowed in confused anger as he continued to find he could not get to his feet.

"Now allow me to explain again how this works."

Jareth's voice was icy and dripping with venom. His patience was quickly running out and his temper was beginning to flare.

"You are in _my_ realm now and that means that my powers far exceed your own so I suggest you stop smashing my wall and cease your bellowing."

Thor looked up at Jareth through narrowed eyes but he didn't say anything, a few stray locks of hair hanging over his face.

"Better" Jareth said with a small smirk.

Thor immediately found he was able to stand again. He quickly fought to regain his dignity by rising to his full height and shifting his stance so that his powerful chest was thrust forward slightly.

Jareth arched an eyebrow. This one was obviously more heavily muscled with a rugged, masculine appeal to him, while Loki had a more appealing dark, toned, mysterious allure to him that had Jareth unable to think about much else at the moment. Such was partly the reason Jareth wanted this unwelcome intruder dealt with as quickly as possible so that he could return to his Loki watching.

"Now, what are you doing in my realm and what is this about your brother? I have had no child wished to me, nor do I recall extending a challenge to you."

Thor's brow furrowed in confusion and a few strands of blond hair fell across one eye, which he quickly brushed aside.

Jareth waited patiently for a response but when he was met only with a blank stare he continued.

"Who sent you here then?"

"I came of my own accord. The gatekeeper sent me here."

Jareth sighed. Getting information from this one was like trying to peel a pineapple, Loki had been much more forthcoming with the information Jareth desired, but then Loki had a vested interest in being cooperative with Jareth's requests; after all his freedom was at stake.

"Listen, I have other matters to attend to so unless you're prepared to tell me who you are and what you're doing here I intend to cast you from my realm and continue with my business."

"I am Thor Odinson and you have taken my brother. I intend to claim him back."

Jareth squinted slightly as he pondered for a moment what that God of Thunder was going on about. He knew who Thor was the moment his name passed his lips, the God of Thunder was well known to him as the next in line to succeed the thorn of Asgard but who was the brother to whom he was referring? Jareth had not had a child wished to him for months, he hadn't left the realm for weeks and the only person who had been sent here of late was…

"Are you telling me that the God of Mischief is your brother?"

"Yes!" Thor blurted out, unable to contain his excitement, realising that this strange man at least now knew whom he was talking about.

Jareth cursed loudly and brought long slender fingers up to tap gently against his lips as he briefly lost himself in thought.

This was a disaster. If Thor truly was Loki's brother then Jareth, bound by the rules of his monarchy, would have to allow Thor to challenge his Labyrinth in an attempt to win his brother back. This, however, interfered with the deal he had struck with Loki himself…. _No mind_ Jareth thought, the blond God didn't exactly look like the brightest doubloon in the chest. Jareth was fairly certain he would not be able to defeat the Labyrinth within 13 hours. Meanwhile Loki would have lost his freedom and when Thor inevitably failed at his task Jareth could rightfully lay his claim to Loki.

A satisfied smirk spread across Jareth's lips and Thor's look of cautious confusion returned.

"You've taken my brother and I want him back."

"With all due respect, _I_ did not take your brother. My recollection of his arrival is that he was banished to me as punishment for a number of crimes against the realm of Midgard."

Thor looked away in anger as he thought of his brother being cast to this wasteland of a realm as punishment for crimes Thor believed Loki could redeem himself from.

"Where are you holding my brother prisoner?" Thor glared at the Goblin King and his voice was gruff with anger and frustration.

"You're presuming he is my prisoner."

Thor looked as if he were going to bark out a response but appeared to hold his tongue.

"Where Loki is at this moment is non of your concern. All you need to know for now is that he is within the confines of my kingdom and he is unharmed."

Thor nodded, taking some solace in the fact that Loki was at least safe.

"If you are Loki's brother as you say you are then the rules that govern my kingdom dictate that I must allow you to challenge me to win back your brother."

Thor's eyes lit up as he was filled with the hope that he could win Loki's freedom back for him.

"Who are you exactly and what is the challenge that I must face to win back my brother's freedom?"

Jareth sighed. There was once a time when he was feared across all the nine realms, now he was lucky if he came across someone who had heard of his name.

"I am Jareth, the Goblin King and ruler of the Underground. The Labyrinth behind me is your challenge. Reach the castle at its centre within thirteen hours and your brother will be returned to you. Fail to complete this task and Loki belongs to me for eternity."

Thor opened his mouth to protest the Goblin King's proposed challenge but Jareth held a hand up to silence him.

"I do not have time to argue with you Odinson. These are my terms, they are the same terms offered to all who come to win their sibling, or friend back and they are the only terms you will be offered. You can either accept my challenge or return to Asgard and forget your brother."

"No! I will not leave Loki here to be made into your prisoner! He is my brother and I will not leave him here! He would do the same for me."

Jareth arched pale eyebrow. The man was clearly delusional if he thought that Loki would rescue him where their positions reversed…unless Thor knew a Loki other than the self-serving one Jareth was currently following the progress of through his Labyrinth.

"So you accept then?"

"Yes" Thor muttered reluctantly.

"Fabulous! You will have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your brother belongs to me forever…" Jareth chuckled menacingly and a sly smile spread across his face.

Thor looked back at the wall he had previously been smashing with his hammer and was shocked to find the cracks he had caused in the rocks had disappeared and the wall looked as though it had never been damaged.

He turned back to Jareth to ask him where the entrance to the Labyrinth was so that he might begin his challenge but was further surprised to find the Goblin King had disappeared.

Thor cursed and looked back at the wall. He briefly thought of simply smashing through it using Mjölnir but decided he best play by the Goblin King's rules if he was going to stand the best chance of winning Loki his freedom.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** As always, thank you so much for your reviews. I realise I have played a bit fast and loose with Asgard history in this chapter but I did my best to fit it into this story. I guess this story is sort of supposed to be set in an AU but I wanted to try and fit Jareth and the Underground in as best I could.

Hopefully you will enjoy the chapter!**  
**

**Chapter Ten**

The peach had hit the spot straight away and settled the uncomfortable growling of Loki's stomach. A few bites later though and he was starting to feel a little strange. His head slowly lolled back against the stone wall he was propped up against and his eyes became glassy and unfocused.

The half eaten peach that he had held in his hand tumbled from his fingertips and wobbled across the stone paving as his arm fell limply to his side. Loki struggled to keep his eyes open but just couldn't seem to win the battle, his lids had become so heavy he just couldn't stay…awake…any…more…

* * *

Loki looked like Thor had just announced to him that he'd decided to become a woman and wanted to join the chorus line. He was standing in the entrance way to a brightly lit and elaborately decorated ballroom. High ceilings soared above his head from which dangled golden crystal chandeliers that threw soft white light over a throng of elegantly dressed party goers.

Loki was forced to take a step sideways as a young busty masked woman crashed into his shoulder as she ran into the ballroom, giggling loudly as a masked man wearing a short cape chased after her into the crowd.

Still trying to take in his surroundings Loki had not even begun to process how he got here or where _here _actually was. The room before him was filled with women in full skirts and tightly drawn corsets; the men were dressed in their best finery with tall boots, waistcoats, jackets and a variety of capes and elaborate hats. All the guests wore masks, their faces or eyes covered by masks ranging from beautiful peacocks to contorted goblins.

His look of utter bewilderment had been replaced with one of blank puzzlement. He felt like he was supposed to be doing something but he couldn't quite seem to remember what it was. He felt like perhaps he wasn't meant to be at this ball, or party or whatever it might be but then…what was he doing here?

Loki looked down at himself and discovered that he was dressed as though he was meant to be in attendance, though he couldn't remember making any preparations for the evening. His usual black leathers and green tunic had been replaced with evening finery. He found himself wearing tall black boots with tarnished golden buckles over the top of soft black leather pants. A deep green waistcoat was buttoned over a frilled white shirt, over which was pulled a deep green short jacket with a high collar. The outfit was completed with a tarnished gold belt about his waist and a tarnished gold broach clasped to his shirt at his throat. With his dark hair neatly slicked back he had a mysterious seductive beauty about him that caused all about him to stop and stare as he entered the room. Loki was oblivious to the true reason he was at the receiving end of so many lustful looks and instead thought it was because he appeared to be the only guest at the masquerade ball who was not wearing a mask.

Loki stepped cautiously into the throng of people spread throughout the ballroom. There were groups of men and women standing around chatting and laughing boisterously, the women hiding themselves behind elegant fans when one of their male companions said something particularly scandalous. Occasionally a couple or threesome would run by engaged in a game of chase, the women giggling as they were chased by their masked male companion.

Tables were set up along one side of the ballroom where couples and groups were seated, some engaged in conversation, others wagering their various fortunes on a game of cards. One wall of the ballroom was made entirely of mirrors and reflected the dancers on the dance floor, creating the illusion that the room was larger than it actually was. The edges of the room were lined with a scattering of large plush pillows heaped into piles upon which various lords and ladies had lain themselves to enjoy one another's company or converse in soft secret whispers.

He felt grossly out of place, stepping carefully through the boisterous crowd. The eyes of beautiful women and men followed his course across the room but Loki did not notice any of them, he was looking for someone; or at least he felt as though he was looking for someone, though he could not recall who it was he thought he should be looking for. He felt lost and unsettled which were both feelings the God of Mischief was not familiar or comfortable with and it ate at him that he could not recall his reason for being in this place; this was especially frustrating as he had a feeling he was supposed to be doing something important instead of swanning about at a ball.

* * *

Jareth quickly slipped through the entrance of the ballroom and into the crowd of people. A number of flamboyantly dressed ladies came up to him almost immediately and attempted to hang off the king's arm but he brushed them aside and slipped further into the crowd. He had eyes for one only and his icy blue mismatched eyes followed Loki as he wandered somewhat awkwardly around the room.

Jareth was dressed in his finest outfit, with tall black shiny boots pulled on over the top of black breeches, a shimmering midnight blue waistcoat was buttoned up over the top of a filled white shirt, which tumbled down his front as it spilt from the top of the waistcoat. Over this was pulled a shimmering midnight blue dress coat with long tails that fell down the back of his thighs to his knees. His hair was perfectly done and yet retained the wild untamed look he was so well regarded for. White gloves finished the outfit off and every button and buckle had been polished to perfection. The goblins over which he ruled might not provide the best of company but they certainly knew how to polish metal to a perfect shine.

Ducking and weaving elegantly through the crowd the Goblin King held up to his face a dark maroon goblin mask with black horns and a slender bone handle shaped like a tiny skeletal hand clutching the goblin face. He ignored the many alluring looks thrown his way and brushed aside elegant hands that fell upon his body in an attempt to draw the king's attention.

Jareth would position himself so that Loki could just see a glimpse of him from across the room before turning on his heel and disappearing back into the crowd. A satisfied smirk spread across the Goblin King's face beneath his mask. He did so very much love this game; the ballroom hallucination was one of his favourite ways to distract those who challenged his Labyrinth. He was particularly looking forward to spending time in this hallucination with the fascinating and alluring God of Mischief but for the moment he was enjoying himself simply teasing the other man who would almost certainly have no recollection as to why he was here or the importance of what he should be doing.

* * *

Thor's mother had warned him of the Underground. She had told him many stories as a boy when he had been naughty or mean to his brother, she would tell him that the Goblin King would come and take him away and he would never see her or his father again. These stories had usually been enough to frighten him and Loki into behaving for a while but the tales had lost their impact as he had gotten older.

No one in Asgard spoke of the Underground in adult circles, which had made Thor believe, as he came of age, that it did not really exist. That it was simply a tale that parents told their children to frighten them when they were naughty. It had been too many years to remember since he had last heard someone speak of the Underground. That was until Loki had been banished there.

Then his mother, his sweet beautiful mother who never stopped loving Loki like a true son, who loved him, like Thor did, despite everything he had said and done, had told him the true story of the Underground so that Thor might go there and save his brother…

"_Thor, listen carefully. There is a way to get your brother back."_

"_Loki? Tell me how, mother I…"_

"_Shh shh. Calm down Thor. Sit. I need you to listen very carefully to what I have to tell you. The stories I used to tell you and Loki about the Underground and the Goblin King, do you remember them?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Well they were real Thor. Everything in those stories was based on some level of truth." _

_His mother had then taken a deep slow breath in and told him the story of the Underground…_

"_Many, many mortal lifetimes ago, before your father Odin sat upon the throne of Asgard his father Bor was the ruler of Asgard. Now Bor had a younger brother, though he is never spoken of in our histories, and much like you and Loki the two brothers had been very close and were rarely seen apart. That was, until the eldest fell in love. A beauty stole his heart and he began to spend as much time with her as he possibly could, which meant he spent less and less time with his younger brother. _

_The younger of the brothers became jealous of the love his brother had found and the less time his brother had for him the more his jealousy grew and the more bitter and angry his heart became. Bor wasted no time and had soon wed his love and she sat by his side as his queen from that day forth. However, the final twist of the knife came when Bor announced that the Queen had given birth to a son and when his son came of age the throne would pass to him and not to his brother._

_The younger brother by this point had become bitter, dark and angry. He felt robbed of what he believed should have been his throne and the fact that his brother had been gifted with both a throne and a beauty to love him was more than he could stand. So he set out to cast a powerful spell on the Queen to make her fall in love with him. He had become a powerful sorcerer and his spell was successful, he lured the Queen to his chambers and when the King went in search of her he found her beautiful naked form tangled in his brother's bed sheets as his brother took her and she writhed beneath him._

_Furious at his brother's betrayal, the King brought him before his grand council so that a fitting punishment could be handed down to him. The only punishment suitable for such a treasonous crime was torture and beheading, and so the sentence was passed. However, when it came time to carry out his punishment Bor could not bring himself to do it. Deep down he still loved his brother, he knew the crime he had committed had been born of anger, hurt and jealousy and the King partly blamed himself for the dark twisted being his brother had become. Unable to send his brother to the torture chambers he devised a tailored punishment for him._

_Our universe is made up of the Nine realms but is also filled with empty worlds. With all the power he could muster Bor took one of these worlds, a barren wasteland on the outer edge of everything, and brought it within the Nine, creating a realm but one that would never be acknowledged by those of the Nine. Bor then placed in the middle of this barren wasteland an enormous Labyrinth and at its centre a castle. With his remaining strength he proclaimed his brother to be the ruler of this new realm but the subjects over who he would preside would be no more than simple minded, hideous goblins; they would serve as a permanent reminder to his brother of the twisted individual he had become. Finally, Bor told his brother he would never be able to return to Asgard and as ruler of the new realm, the Underground, his role was simple; when a child wishes for goblins to come and take away their brother, sister or friend, as the King of the Goblins he would appear to take the child but he must then offer the wisher a chance to win back their sibling. If they defeated the Labyrinth he must return the child to the wisher, if they failed he was to return the wisher and keep the child that had been wished to him and turn it into a goblin._

_Bor then cast his brother into the Underground where he has ruled ever since. But time has flown differently for the Goblin King, his brother has long since left this world but the Goblin King is forced to rule for all of eternity, alone with only goblins as his eternal companions."_

Thor had listened intently while his mother had told him the real story of the Underground and he thought he had come prepared to deal with whatever this kingdom and its ruler had to dish out to him.

So far though it had not been what he'd expected. The Goblin King was not the fierce, dark, twisted being his mind had conjured up but instead had been a man not all that different from many he had met in Asgard. While he had a somewhat sinister air about him and had seemed to be in a hurry for one reason or another he had not been any where close to the brutish monster Thor had anticipated.

The Labyrinth on the other hand…that was proving to be every bit the challenge that his mother had said it would. He felt like his been wandering about its perimeter for hours and still he had not found the gates. About to give up in frustration and distracted from watching where he was going Thor's foot caught on a gnarled tree root and he was sent face first into the sandy dunes. Raising his head while spitting out a mouthful of sand Thor was about to curse the Labyrinth in some very colourful language but as he opened his eyes he saw before him the gates to the Labyrinth and smiled.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, you have all motivated me to write more. Hopefully the last chapter didn't cause too much upset but I didn't want the story to become hopelessly predictable.

Tried to get this chapter out to you quick, quick, quick as I might not have time to update the next chapter quite so fast.

WARNING: This chapter contains significant adult content (yes, we have finally reached the chapter where I divulge the smut, apologies it has taken so long).

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Loki thought he felt the sensual gaze of a tall blond man on the other side of the room fall upon him, peering at him from behind a deep-red horned goblin mask. However, when he looked again the man had disappeared from sight.

He whirled around in a vain attempt to spot the mysterious stranger but he was nowhere to be seen. Loki began to weave his way through the crowded room his eyes darting from one face to the next, searching for any hint of recognition. He wasn't sure why but he felt that for some reason this man was the reason he was here.

Stopping somewhere near the centre of what Loki guessed was the dance floor from the paired up couples spinning about him, he was about to give up his search when he spotted the Goblin King smirking at him from beneath his mask from across the room. Without taking his eyes off him, Loki hurried across the dance floor towards Jareth but a voluptuous woman stepped in his way and pressed her hands against his chest in an attempt to get Loki's attention. He was quick to shift her out of his way and continue forward but for the brief moment that she had obscured his view he had lost sight of his desired target.

Cursing softly to himself Loki glanced about with a sense of urgency but could not seem to spot the masked blond man anywhere. A sea of faces greeted him but none drew him in like the masked man in the shimmering blue dress coat with the wild silver-blond hair.

Loki suddenly felt a presence behind him and unconsciously held his breath as two sets of long delicate fingers cased in elegant white gloves gently gripped his shoulders. He felt himself spun around and his eyes widened in surprise as the Goblin King placed one hand about his slender waist and took his left hand in his right. Before he had a moment to process what was happening the Goblin King had whisked them out onto the dancer floor and Loki now found himself being led in a simple waltz in Jareth's strong arms.

Jareth had discarded the goblin mask he had been carrying and his ice blue mismatched eyes bore into Loki's own emerald eyes, which looked up at the Goblin King in skeptical confusion. It felt both wrong and right to be so close to this man, dancing with him amongst the crowd of partygoers. Loki felt a sense of familiarisation but he couldn't place from where he knew the blond man. All he knew right now was this moment and in this moment the feel of Jareth's hand firmly gripping his slender hip was sending excited thrills through his body.

Jareth fingered a bony hip beneath soft leather breeches and smirked, flashing pointed white teeth at Loki. He held him tightly against his body as he led them around the dancer floor. The jealous eyes of others followed their every move, wishing it were them dancing with the King or his handsome companion.

Loki found himself easing into Jareth's embrace and allowed his gaze to drop to thin pink lips stretched over pointed white teeth in a sly smirk. Loki's tongue crept out to run quickly over his own lips before gently biting his lower lip as his gaze fell further to the exposed milky white skin of Jareth's slender neck.

"Relax." Jareth whispered softly in Loki's ear, his warm breath tickling the soft shell and sending shivers down Loki's spine.

"You have no responsibilities here. Just… let go….."

Loki felt heat coil in the pit of his stomach and his groin tighten as Jareth pressed himself hard up against his body. His tongue flicked out to moisten dry lips as a faint memory of what it felt like to have Jareth's lips upon his own crept to the front of his clouded mind.

The Goblin King slowly steered their intimate dance from the dance floor over to one side of the vast ballroom. Voyeuristic eyes followed their every movement but Loki did not notice their hungry gazes, his eyes instead locked with Jareth's.

Loki suddenly felt light headed as Jareth led them in a series of loops and twirls across the dance floor, approaching the edge of the enormous ballroom near the mirrored wall. Jareth suddenly brought their dance to a halt and roughly fisted his hand in Loki's dark hair and pulled the Liesmith's lips to his own in a crushing kiss. Loki kissed back with more intensity than he before, now unburdened of the knowledge that he was running against the clock, allowing himself to become lost in the heat of the moment. His face flushed with arousal and his lips swollen from their passionate exchange the God of Mischief pressed his body hard up against Jareth's and allowed a quiet moan to escape his lips at the delicious friction his movements created.

Suddenly Loki felt himself falling backwards. His back collided softly with the plush fabric of a pile of large pillows. He let out a small gasp as Jareth came down on top of him and their combined weight settled them further into the soft pillows. Jareth wasted no time attacking Loki's exposed throat with lips and teeth, biting and kissing along the length of his neck. Loki arched up beneath him and Jareth let out a long throaty groan as the God beneath him ground his hips into his own.

Their lips met in a frenzied kiss, tongues battling for dominance, Loki tugged Jareth's lower lip between his teeth and felt the King buck his hips downwards, grinding their clothed arousals together with maddening friction. Loki's eyes flared as Jareth began to tug at the clothing covering his torso. Loki shrugged himself out of the dress jacket as buttons flew from the waistcoat and shirt covering his chest. Jareth tugged the fabric aside and wasted no time in planting hungry kisses across Loki's chest. Loki arched into the touch of soft warm lips on his chest, his breath coming out in laboured pants as he struggled to provide his brain with adequate oxygen. Blood flushed his faced, chest and other parts of his anatomy as Jareth gripped his hair and pulled him in for another kiss.

In the lustful haze of his mind Loki suddenly had a moment of clarity and realised he was not satisfied with his current position at the mercy of the Goblin King. Gripping Jareth's hips tightly in his hands Loki easily rolled them so that Jareth now lay wide-eyed beneath him, looking up at him in surprise. Loki was quick to sit himself across the Goblin King's lap and, using one hand, pin his wrists over his head against the pillows upon which they lay. Jareth gritted his teeth and growled at Loki, bucking his hips up against the God of Mischief in an attempt to throw the other man off him. Loki merely chuckled and smirked down at him as he ripped open Jareth's waistcoat and shirt, exposing milky white flesh to his hungry eyes.

"You'll pay for that." Jareth hissed.

"Oh I hope I will…" Loki drawled, his voice heavy and husky with lust.

Loki then slowly slipped his hand between then and started to undo Jareth's breeches. A sly smirk spread across his face as Jareth's eyelids fluttered closed as a moan escaped his lips and his hips rose up to meet Loki's touch.

Jareth held his breath as he felt expert fingers slide into his breeches and the breath he had been holding hissed out from between clenched teeth as he felt strong slender fingers squeeze him gently but firmly. Loki began to stroke him as he lent down to bite and kiss at Jareth's exposed neck. The Goblin King writhed beneath him as Loki expertly stroked him and a jolt of pleasure went straight to his groin every time Loki grazed sharp teeth across soft skin.

Jareth suddenly found himself flipped onto his stomach with Loki pressed along the length of his back. For a God who has been stripped of his powers Loki was still far stronger and more agile than any mortal and Jareth was inwardly cursing himself for failing to take this into account. He struggled briefly below Loki in an effort to throw the other man from him but stilled when Loki slipped his hand beneath him and back into his breeches to firmly grasp his member.

Loki stroked him while flicking his tongue out to delicately lick the sensitive shell of Jareth's ear, which elicited a soft moan from Jareth who turned his head into the pillow below him in order to muffle a much louder groan that escaped his lips as Loki softly squeezed his arousal.

Jareth squirmed beneath Loki as he tugged the Goblin King's breeches down his thighs and he felt a cool hand pressed against the now exposed soft flesh of his buttocks. Loki slipped a finger between his lips and lent in further over Jareth. The Goblin King's eyes widened and he gasped in surprise as he felt a slick finger slide into his opening. Loki brought his face down close to Jareth's so that he could hear the King pant and moan as Loki used one finger, then two and finally three to prepare Jareth. Once Loki had three fingers sliding easily in and out of Jareth's opening and he felt the other man rocking back against his digits he removed his fingers and knelt over Jareth in order to unlace his own breeches.

Pushing the soft leather down past his hips Loki sighed in pleasure as his own erection sprang free and the air in the now empty ballroom cooled his heated flesh. Loki had not noticed but at some point between the dance he had shared with Jareth and now, the entire ballroom had cleared out, leaving the Goblin King and the God of Mischief completely alone in the vast room.

A desperate moan escaped Jareth's lips as he felt Loki's body lay down along his back once again in anticipation of what was to come. Loki chuckled softly in Jareth's ear before he griped his hard member and pressed it gently but firmly against Jareth's opening. The Goblin King squirmed beneath him but this time it was not an attempt to reverse their positions but instead a motion begging Loki to take him.

Gripping Jareth's hips with both hands Loki buried himself in the man beneath him. He tossed his head back and let out a long animalistic moan as he sheathed himself in the tight heat. Loki then lowered himself over Jareth and began to slowly thrust into him. The Goblin King responded to his thrusts and the two men quickly found a satisfying rhythm, Loki thrusting forward as Jareth pushed back to meet him. Taking one hand from Jareth's hip Loki grabbed a fistful of wild silver-blond hair and yanked Jareth's head back. The Goblin King gasped and gritted his teeth as Loki increased his pace.

His thrusting became rougher and faster and Jareth moaned loudly as the pleasure began to build within him to unbearable heights as Loki angled his hips to hit that magic spot within him with every thrust. Sensing that Jareth was close to his climax Loki slipped a hand beneath them and firmly gripped Jareth's weeping erection and began to stroke it in time to his trusts.

The Goblin King came undone between Loki's hand on his straining member and his hurried forceful thrusting. He threw his head back and groaned as his climax overwhelmed him and he spilt his seed over his taunt stomach and the pillows beneath him. Loki felt Jareth's body clench around him and the sweet sound of his release was enough to send Loki over the edge. He thrust firmly into Jareth, burring himself to the hilt in the warm body beneath him as he doubled over with pleasure, spilling his seed deep inside Jareth as an animalistic moan escaped his swollen lips.

Loki collapsed on top of Jareth and the two men lay like that as they both panted heavily, their hearts pounding and their nerves still on fire. Rolling off Jareth and onto his back atop the soft pillows Loki stared up at the grand ceiling as he tried to slow his breathing. He turned his head as Jareth rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow, flashing pointed white teeth at Loki in a satisfied smirk.

"Well, that was a rather enjoyable way to waste some time" Jareth drawled, his voice husky and raw.

Loki's brow furrowed as he struggled to grasp a memory that seemed to be just beyond his reach.

Jareth sighed as he pulled his breeches back up and began to lace them. He knew that this was the moment where Loki's memories would come flooding back to him and he would remember that he was supposed to be competing against the Goblin King in a race for his freedom, not fucking him.

Jareth looked down at his torn shirt and waistcoat and an exasperated sigh escaped his lips. He readjusted his dress coat and pulled himself up from the soiled pile of cushions to stand over the other man.

Loki's eyes suddenly flew wide open and his jaw dropped. What was he doing!? He was supposed to be trying to conquer the Labyrinth an instead he had wasted who knows how much time bedding the Goblin King. He turned furious accusing eyes up at Jareth.

"You! You did this to distract me! What is this?! Is this even real?"

Jareth merely smirked at Loki flashing pointed fangs, his mismatched eyes gleaming with gleeful satisfaction.

Loki leapt to his feet, tugging his breeches back up over his hips and quickly tying them. He didn't bother to try and close his shirt or his waistcoat and his dress jacket remained discarded on the floor.

"How do I get out of here?!" Fury blazed in Loki's eyes.

Jareth simply stood before Loki, the mirrored wall at his back and continued to smirk silently at him.

Infuriated by the Goblin King, Loki picked up a chair and hurled it through the air at Jareth's head. It passed straight through the apparition and smashed into the mirror wall. Shards of mirror exploded around him and the ballroom filled with Jareth's manic laughter. The entire room began to spin and Loki was swept up in a swirl of glass, chairs and tables before everything suddenly went faded into darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Jareth poured himself into his throne, draping long legs over one arm and resting his head against the throne's back. His brow creased in thought as he considered Loki's situation. The God clearly had some unresolved issues with his brother that ran far deeper than has so far been revealed to Jareth, however he worried that if Loki continued down this path it would be a lonesome one that lead to nothing but suffering. It was a path Jareth knew all too well and a choice he had wished he could take back for more years than he could recall anymore. Jareth admired Loki's passion and drive and could only hope he had now left him with enough reason to reconsider the value of cruelty and vengeance.

A sly, satisfied smile graced his face and his cheeks flushed as he let his mind wander back to his encounter with Loki only moments ago. He let his eyelids flutter closed and breathed in deeply as images of himself with Loki replayed in his mind.

"Your majesty…" a small goblin started timidly as it crept into the throne room.

Jareth cracked one eye open and glared menacingly through it at the goblin who had dared to disturb him.

"You had best hope this is important." Jareth hissed through clenched teeth as he struggled to control his anger.

The goblin stood frozen in fear in the doorway to the throne room. Luckily for it another goblin came racing in past it and headed straight for the window.

"Jareth! Jareth! He's here! The challenger is almost at the city gate!" The goblin shouted breathlessly as it pointed a long bony finger out the window towards the city's walls.

"WHAT!?" Jareth bellowed as he leapt from his throne.

The Goblin King raced to the window, shoving the goblin aside he slapped both palms flat on the window's ledge and leant his upper body out of the void. He focused his attention on the figure running at pace down a straight section of his maze towards the gates to the Goblin City. However, where he had expected to see Loki Jareth was instead presented with the large blond God he had challenged only hours ago.

"How did he get here so quickly!?" Jareth was furious and confused.

No one could complete the Labyrinth that quickly. God or not it was impossible, there was no way that Thor could have come so far so…

"Curse that infernal caterpillar!" Jareth roared as realisation struck him. "No one listens to him! Why would anyone take the advice of a caterpillar?!"

Whipping around Jareth swept up the trembling goblin in one hand and held it before his face.

"Bar the gates to the City and assemble the Guardian. I will not have that man breech the city walls!"

Jareth tossed the goblin to the floor before storming from the throne room and hurrying down the tower stairs. The goblin raced past his feet as it hurried off to carry out the King's orders. Jareth's mind was a haze of red and he smashed a candelabrum to the floor as he wound his way down the tower stairs.

* * *

Thor's footsteps echoed along the stone corridor as he ran towards the castle at the centre of the Labyrinth. He would have to be sure to thank that caterpillar again, his directions really had been right on track and it was just such a shame his wasn't small enough to fit into his home in order to stop for a quick cup of tea with him and his wife. Thinking back though he probably shouldn't have stopped for tea anyway, given that his focus should be on his current task of defeating the Goblin King and winning Loki back.

The castled loomed closer and closer as Thor picked his pace up. He was determined to prove to his brother that he was a loved member of their family and had not been cast out without thought or heartbreak.

Rounding a corner Thor slid to a halt on the loose sandy earth that covered much of the cobbled stones of the Labyrinth. Before him loomed the enormous gates to the Goblin City. He raised his head to take in the full length of the huge gateway. The immense doors to the city were shut but Thor was certain that was a situation he could rectify with a few well placed swings of Mjölnir.

He raised the powerful hammer over his head and as he was about to charge the gates with a roar his eyes widened and Mjölnir fell to his side, clutched in his fist at the end of a limp arm. An enormous metal giant took several huge steps to place itself between Thor and the city's gates before staring down at the God of Thunder with red electronic eyes.

* * *

Jareth had ensured that a number of upgrades were made to the enormous metallic robot that served as the guardian to the gates of the Goblin City since the last time it had failed to prevent a breech by a group of intruders. He felt confident that the Guardian would be able to fend off any challenge from a mortal or being who resided within the Labyrinth. However, he was not entirely confident that it could stand against the God of Thunder.

He had to get to the gates quickly to ensure that he was able to prevent them being breeched. Casting a spell to enhance the strength of the Guardian was his only hope of keeping Thor at bay but a spell of the magnitude needed required his presence at the site. He only hoped he could reach the gates before Thor turned his metallic cyborg into a pile of metal scraps.

While his primary focus was on Thor and his impending advancement upon his castle, Jareth couldn't help but hold at the back of his mind a thought or two of Loki and where he currently found himself on his quest to reach the castle.

The Goblin King had never allowed two to challenge the Labyrinth at a time before and he was beginning to realise why he had never felt compelled to. But he had fallen into this situation with no possible way out. When he had encountered Loki he had assumed, as the God had been banished to the Underground, that there would be no sibling to challenge his Labyrinth so he had allowed Loki to challenge the Labyrinth himself because, let's face it, he had grown bored and Loki promised to provide a delicious source of entertainment. However, when his brother arrived he was bound by the rules of his realm, set by its creator, to offer the sibling a chance to win his brother back.

Growling under his breath Jareth reached the entrance to his castle and with a frustrated wave of his hand he disappeared from sight, leaving the various goblins who served him running about in a fear induced panic.

* * *

"Well, it's about time this Labyrinth posed a challenge for me" Thor said as he swung Mjölnir up over his shoulder and prepared to bear down on the hulking metal robot standing between him and the gates to the Goblin City.

The Goblin King suddenly appeared before him and Thor was forced to hold back the mighty swing he had been preparing for.

"I think you've had an easy enough run as it is God of Thunder. Let's see how you deal with this blockade!"

Jareth turned to face the Guardian and threw his arms wide open, bathing the robot in a brilliant white light while he chanted something that Thor could not understand. The robot glowed, enveloped in dazzling white light for a moment before it's menacing red eyes glowed brightly and seemed to focus on Thor.

"That should keep you busy for awhile." Jareth grinned menacingly at Thor before disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.

Thor tossed his head from side to side, desperately looking for any sign of the Goblin King but quickly realised that he had left him alone with the clunking metal robot, which suddenly didn't seem so clunking…

* * *

Loki sat bolt upright, all of his memories flooding back to him in an uncontrollable tide, only to find himself sitting in a collection of junk piled higher than the dunes he had seen at the entrance to the Labyrinth.

A long string of foul language erupted from Loki's lips, mostly directed towards the absent Goblin King, followed by a roar of frustration. His chest heaving as he drew in each breath, his body trembling with rage Loki slowly managed to calm himself and allow his thoughts to collect themselves into some sort of useful order once again.

"I will kill him once I'm done defeating him."

Loki was furious at Jareth for distracting him for what he could only assume was a substantial amount of time. Truly though, he was far more angry with himself for allowing himself to be distracted so easily and in such a primitive and obvious way. He was the God of Mischief after all and he had allowed himself to fall for such an obvious trick.

He vowed he would get one back at Jareth before their time was out but for the moment Loki decided he wasn't making much progress sitting on a pile of refuse.

Picking himself up he cast his gaze far and wide, searching for any landmark that seemed familiar to him. His eyes settled on the forest he had struggled through earlier and turning through 180 degrees he was relieved to see the Goblin King's castle rising up from the middle of a cluttered looking city. Despite the rage Loki currently felt towards Jareth he was pleased to see that the junkyard into which he had been deposited was at least a little closer to the castle than he had been when he remembered eating the tainted peach.

Suppressing a raging battle of emotions for the moment, Loki began to wade through the garbage he was up to his knees in. Heading in the direction of the castle in the centre of the Labyrinth holding both arms stiffly at his sides with his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were turning white. If any person or creature had seen him pass they would not have needed to look twice to know not to interrupt his slow progress through the swamp of trash for the God of Mischief had the most menacing, sour, hateful look he could muster plastered across his face. It was a face that said 'go on…I _dare_ you to ask me something because I will enjoy ripping your head off when you do'.

Loki was now more determined than ever to reach Jareth's castle and he intended to stop at nothing to do so before the thirteen hours were up. Though he had no real idea any more of how much or little time he had left he would now stop at nothing to be sure he did not fall at the feet of the Goblin King in the end.

Wading his way through the garbage Loki thrust a path up the rise of another dune of garbage, grumbling under his breath about the fates of the world and how his punishment far exceeded the small amount of mischief he had caused on Midgard. He suddenly stopped dead as he came almost to the top of the pile.

"You!"

Loki threw himself upon the figure before him, knocking the Goblin King backwards off his feet and sending the two of them tumbling down the other side of the garbage hill.

The tumbling duo landed with Loki sitting atop Jareth and his hands wrapped tightly around the blond man's throat.

"I will destroy you Goblin King!"

Jareth smirked playfully up at Loki, which only served to infuriate the God further and cause him to tighten his grip around his neck.

"While I'd love to play…" Jareth drawled "I am only here to inform you that you have one hour to reach my castle or you belong to me forever."

The sight of Jareth's pointed teeth behind parted pink lips was enough to blind Loki with rage and he positioned himself atop Jareth so that he could lean his full weight into strangling the Goblin King.

Then, in a less than a moment, shock and confusion passed across Loki's face as he suddenly found himself sitting on rubbish with empty hands.

"You really should know better than that by now." Jareth remarked as he brushed himself off.

Loki turned his head slightly to find Jareth standing beside him looking somewhat less composed than usual.

"Here, you have no power and I have all the power. It's as simple as that."

Loki glared at the Goblin King through narrowed eyes and was about to tell him exactly how he felt about his dirty mind games and how he choose to wield his power when Jareth held up a hand to silence him.

The Goblin King's attention snapped off into the distance somewhere and he cursed under his breath. Then, as quickly as he had appeared he was gone.

Loki rolled his eyes upward and let out a long frustrated sigh. One hour. If he reached the castle in one hour he would win this silly game and be freed of this godforsaken place forever.

* * *

Thor braced himself as he brought Mjölnir down upon the enormous metallic robot before him. It bounced of its surface with a deafening clang and the entire contraption shook and rattled with the force of the impact. The robot seemed to glow with a strange blue energy and Thor's brow creased as he attempted to understand why his hammer was having so little effect against his foe.

The God of Thunder widened his stance and dug his heels into the gritty earth beneath him, bracing himself for his next attack against the giant metal contraption.

With a roar Thor spun on his heel and brought Mjölnir crashing into the knee joint of the robot and was rewarded with the sound of crushing metal yielding beneath the power of his mighty hammer. The enormous robot's left leg buckled and the whir and screech of gears filled the air as it tried to stabilise itself. Shifting the majority of its weigh onto its right leg meant that it did not go crashing to the ground, managing instead to stay upright and prevent its fall.

The dome-shaped head of the robot turned slowly until its bright red eyes stared down at Thor from behind frosted glass. The robot attempted to take a step towards him, shifting its weight temporarily off its strong leg. Thor immediately seized the opportunity presented and swung his hammer round in a long ark, smashing it a second time into the left knee joint.

This time the metal joint crumpled completely and the bottom half of the robot's leg went flying in one direction as the enormous metal contraption came tumbling to the ground.

Thor leapt out of the way of the falling heap of metal, hitting the ground hard and rolling to the side. The earth beneath him rumbled violently with the impact of the heavy robot and Thor looked over his shoulder to see he had missed being crushed by mere centimetres. The battle was not won yet though and Thor had to roll quickly to the side to avoid the enormous axe blade that the robot brought down upon him, striking the ground instead of its intended target.

As the robot lay on its front tugging at the axe which it had embedded in the earth instead of Thor's flesh Thor took the opportunity to pick himself up off the ground and retrieve Mjölnir from where it had flown from his grip.

"Let's finish this off old friend" Thor mused as he picked the hammer up and turned to face the struggling robot.

With a mighty leap Thor landed on the robot's back with a reverberating clang. The robot began to slowly turn its head through 180 degrees to face Thor but before it got past half way Thor smashed Mjölnir into its dome-shaped head. The metal separated with an ear-splitting metallic scraping noise that reminded Thor of his childhood teacher's fingernails raking across the chalkboard as she attempted to gain Thor and Loki's attention.

The robots head rolled off down a small hill revealing that its interior had been hollow. Thor rested Mjölnir at his side as he edged closer along the now stationary robot's back until he reached where its shoulders would be if it were made of flesh and blood. A hideous looking goblin sprang fourth from the hollow inside the robot, causing Thor to take a startled step backwards. The goblin shrieked as it raced towards the gates to the Goblin City. Tugging on a metal handle embedded in one of the enormous gates it pulled the gate open a crack and slipped through into the dusty city.

Mjölnir hung limply at Thor's side as he started vacantly at the spot where the goblin had slipped through the gates, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. Shaking his head Thor gathered his thoughts and leapt down from the back of the immobilised robot; landing heavily on the compacted earth. A few long strides brought him to the gates of the Goblin City where he threw his head back to gaze upon the immensity of the iron gates before him. In a move he had witnessed the goblin do only moments before Thor pulled roughly on the iron ring, wrenching the gate open wide enough so that he might enter.

The God of Thunder poked his head cautiously around the corner of the gate to check that the coast was clear. Once satisfied that no threat to him lay directly behind the gates Thor entered the Goblin City, stepping out onto the cobblestones of the city street. He suddenly let out a loud bellow of laughter as he spotted the Goblin King's castle atop a hill in the centre of the city.

"Well this labyrinth has certainly been the easiest challenge I've ever been presented with!" Thor's voice echoed throughout the Goblin City's empty streets.

Then with a single step forward Thor found there was no long a cobbled stone street beneath his feet and then he was sliding down into a black emptiness as the light above him closed over and plunged his world into darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** Apologies for the delay on this chapter and also for it being a bit on the short side.

Hope all those still reading enjoy!  
**  
**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Jareth stepped out from behind a small goblin house just inside the gates of the city. His deadly stare was fixed on the spot where he had caused Thor to be swallowed up by the earth.

It was beyond infuriating that he had misjudged this God as an apparent simpleton and thus not devoted his usual attention to his progress through the Labyrinth. But then he really only had himself to blame, shortly after Thor's arrival he had suspected that the man was the God of Thunder and thus the son of Odin; a small amount of snooping with the aid of his crystal balls had soon confirmed this and at this point he should have paid more heed to Thor's challenge.

Jareth also had to admit he had been greatly distracted by Thor's brother, who in fact was not Odin's son and so had raised questions in the Goblin King's mind about the legitimacy of Thor's right to challenge him to possession of Loki, but that was beside the point. Jareth was furious at himself for allowing Thor to progress so far so quickly. It was a fact he would have to quickly rectify or risk losing his precious prize to him. He had come too far to allow Loki to be snatch from before his very eyes now.

The Gbolin King stood still for a moment as he mused over what to do and slowly contemplated his next move. He would have to slow the God of Thunder's progress while also ensuring that Loki did not arrive at his castle inside the next hour. Jareth quickly made a mental note to never allow two contestants to run his Labyrinth at the same time; it caused nothing but headaches.

"Goblin King!"

Jareth shook himself free of his thoughts and looked up towards the gates to the Goblin City. There stood an angry, dishevelled Loki whose once perfect garments were now ratty, torn and quite frankly smelt faintly of the rubbish tip he had just crawled his way out of.

Jareth arched an eyebrow at the sight before him. Despite his ruffled appearance Loki locked his gaze on Jareth with an icy stare so intense that Jareth was sure that had the God had a weapon handy he would have run him through with it without hesitation.

"Well if it isn't the God of Mischief." Jareth managed a sly grin despite the unease he was beginning to feel as a result of Loki's deadly stare.

"I didn't plan on you making it this far but…well, here you are."

Loki remained unresponsive and Jareth quickly began to formulate a plan. All he needed to do was keep the God of Mischief distracted long enough for the clock to run down and then Loki would be his for eternity…

* * *

Thor landed hard on an unyielding stone floor, after sliding down a mossy stone incline for what had seemed like an eternity in stifling darkness, rolled several times and collided roughly with a stone wall. Uncurling his battered body to lie flat on his back Thor let out an uncomfortable groan of pain.

His senses dulled, he felt like he was lying on stone suspended in nothingness, but slowly, as his eyes adjusted to the dim light his surrounding began to take shape. His sense of hearing was heightened in the darkness and he could clearly hear slow dripping from some unseen crack in a far away corridor. A chilling breeze wafted across his skin and caused the tiny hairs on his arms to stand on end.

Thor shifted slightly, one shoulder was propped up against a cold stone wall and if he focused his eyes directly across the room from him was another wall. Turning his head one way revealed only more darkness but if he turned is head to his right he could make out a series of black lines running from the roof to the floor visible only because they were darker than the corridor behind them, through which filtered the tinniest amount of light.

Thor pushed himself slowly from the wall and gritted his teeth against a slight pang of pain in his shoulder, it was uncomfortable but nothing that would slow him down. Once on his feet a few steps brought him to stand before the dark lines that now filled his vision. He reached a hand out carefully to touch one and found that its surface was cool and rough beneath his fingers. His fingers enclosed around it to find that it was cylindrical and a small tug revealed that it was fixed to both the floor and roof.

_Bars_. Thor thought to himself as he griped another with his other hand and gave it a slightly rougher shake. Both bars seemed to be fixed with great force and he wasn't sure he would be able to loosen them; but he would certainly try. Gripping the two bars tightly Thor let out a roar and shook them with his mighty arms, the bars rattled and a few flakes of stone fell from the roof to settle upon his golden locks but the bars did not pull free.

The God of Thunder tried again and again to prise the bars from this fixtures but it was all in vain for they did not come away from their moorings, not even by the slightest. Who ever had fixed the bars there had done so in a manner that meant that not even someone like Thor, with his incredible strength could ever break free of them.

With an exasperated sigh of defeat Thor pushed himself backwards from the bars and began to pace across the width of his prison cell. Thor paused in his pacing and his eyes drifted to the stone floor where Mjölnir lay. He called the hammer to his right hand and prepared to swing the weapon at the bars imprisoning him within the stone cell.

"I wouldn't do that"

The smooth icy voice of the Goblin King rang through the empty halls of the dungeon and overwhelmed Thor's heightened sense of hearing.

Thor lowered his hammer and looked up at the Goblin King through narrowed eyes, his face a mask of barely contained fury. The two locked eyes for a number of minutes that neither counted nor noticed before Jareth finally broke his stare.

"You destroyed my Guardian."

"So you lock me in a dungeon!?" Thor growled.

Jareth shrugged.

"I suppose you could say I'm a sore loser"

"You cannot hold me prisoner in here simply because you are losing!"

"I think you fail to understand that this is my kingdom and I can do what I like."

Thor bared gleaming white teeth in a menacing roar and took a pace towards Jareth.

"You have no honour."

The Goblin King burst into manic laughter before leaning in closer to the bars behind which Thor stood, eyes narrowed and voice dripping with venom.

"I care not of honour. It is not something that has ever been afforded to me so why would I afford it to others. Least of all those who threaten me in my own castle." Jareth hissed.

Thor pulled back suddenly and his features fell back into look of confusion, his mind struggling behind his eyes to make sense of the situation.

"Your castle…?"

"Indeed. You find yourself in my dungeons and I must say it is most inappropriate and dishonourable to threaten a King in his own…"

Jareth trailed off as he caught the sudden change in Thor's features. A sly, dopy grin now graced the God's face and Jareth was quick to realise his mistake and the fact that it had not gone unnoticed by Thor. Jareth cursed himself inwardly but maintained an external look of complete composure, his features not faltering for a moment.

"If I'm in the dungeons of your castle then I have won your game."

"Finding yourself locked in my castle's dungeons does not count."

"You cannot just change the rules of the game to suit yourself."

"I do not wish to repeat myself but my realm, my rules."

Thor was about to open his mouth in protest when Jareth held a hand up to silence him.

"However I am not entirely unjust. After all what is a game without rules and structure?"

Jareth paused for a moment and tapped a long slender finger against a pale bony cheek.

"I'll tell you what Thor Odinson, you have done well to make your way to this point and for this I will offer you a final challenge to win back your brother."

Thor began to object but Jareth merely continued before he could get a word out.

"I will relinquish my claim to Loki if you can find him."

A sly smile spread across Jareth's face and his eyes danced with nefarious intent.

Thor paused for a moment to process what the Goblin King had offered. As frustrating as it was that Jareth was merely changing the rules of his own game to suit his needs just as he appeared to be losing, Thor ultimately saw little alternative than to accept this new challenge. Either that or he could reject the terms and attempt to break free from his prison, which he suspected was sealed with some sort of magic that Mjölnir would have little effect against.

"I assume I have no choice but to accept these terms?"

"For one who appears somewhat dense you pick things up surprisingly quickly."

Thor gritted his teeth against the insult but managed to bite his tongue.

"What is your decision then?"

"I accept these terms but mark my words Goblin King. I will find my brother and you will return us safely to Asgard."

Jareth merely narrowed his eyes at Thor before vanishing in a cloud of white mist and shimmering dust.

A loud metal click reverberated through the dungeon and the door to Thor's cell swung partly open on unoiled hinges. Thor took a few slow steps towards the cell door before pulling it all the way open and stepping out wearily into the dark emptiness of the dungeon's main corridor.

Adjusting his grip on Mjölnir's handle Thor strode down the long stone corridor towards the end through which the tiny amount of light that melted fragments of the darkness filtered in from. He took the stairs at the end of the corridor two at a time, powering up the winding staircase in a race to the top.

Thor was greeted with the echo of Jareth's maniacal laughter as he burst through the doorway at the top of the stairs and found himself in an immense room with higher ceilings than any he had ever seen before filled with stone staircases. There were staircases and doorways going every which way, flowing sideways along walls, upside down, disappearing and emerging in ways that made no sense to Thor's already overwhelmed brain.

He shook his head, blond mane tossing from side to side across his face, in an attempt to clear the hallucination from his vision. However, much to his dismay, the bizarre room of stairs remained before his eyes.

"You have one hour left in which to find your brother, I suggest you start moving"

Thor looked up and spotted Jareth standing in an arched doorway at the top of a rough staircase off in the distance. No sooner had his eyes fallen upon the tall slender figure of the Goblin King did he step out of the doorway and disappear from sight. Thor wasted no time and headed straight for the closest set of stairs.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Thank you SO much to all of those who have reviewed this story at various stages along the way. As I approach writing the end of this fic I can't help but feel that there could be more to this story if I allow myself to continue writing, so I'm toying with the idea of either turning it into a much longer fic or writing a sequel. I'm leaning towards the sequel option but I haven't quite made my mind up yet.**  
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**Chapter Fourteen**

Thor bound up the stairs and ducked his head to pass through the doorway at it's top. He found it hard to believe that twelve hours had already passed since Jareth had challenged him to defeat his Labyrinth but then the Goblin King didn't exactly always play by his own rules so who knew how much time had or had not truly passed.

Thor furrowed his brow in confusion as he emerged from the doorway to find another set of stairs heading upwards, but when he turned his head to take in his surroundings he could see that his orientation to his original position had changed. He now appeared to be upside-down but yet he didn't feel as though he was. He could already tell that this room of stairs was going to cause significant confusion and slow him down greatly.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Thor powered onwards, leaping up steps two at a time and plunging through doorways to emerge at another set of stairs, sometimes carrying him upwards and sometimes down. From the floor below it would have appeared quite a sight, the blond God running every which way through the maze of stairs, across the walls and along the roof, suspended in ways that defied both gravity and logic.

Thor's frustration at the esoteric stair room began to show and he paused momentarily in the doorway of yet another set of stairs, venting his frustrations by slamming a powerful fit into the wall. Cracks radiated out through the stone from the force of the impact and Thor stood still, chest heaving with each deep breath he took, his fist embedded in the wall.

Jareth's laughter rang throughout the room and grated on Thor's nerves. Gritting his teeth against the mocking onslaught from the Goblin King Thor slowly pulled his battered and bloody fist from the wall.

"Where is my brother Goblin King!?" Thor bellowed with as much force as he could muster.

He was greeted only by more laughter but then…

"Thor…?"

Thor's head snapped up, he knew that voice! Frantically he tried to work out which direction the voice had come from.

"Loki!?" Thor's voice boomed through the stair room, overwhelming even his own ears.

Silence followed for several moments before Thor shattered it again.

"I will find you brother! I will not lose you to this wretched realm!"

Thor began to sprint up the next set of stairs pausing only long enough to capture the words that floated down from above him somewhere.

"Up here!"

Thor raced down a flight of stairs and then up another, disappearing through a doorway and emerging somewhere unexpected, no longer knowing whether he was proceeding in the right direction. Just as he was about to duck through another doorway a shock of silver blond hair caught his eye and he stopped dead in his tracks to stare down at Jareth, who appeared in a doorway just below the level where Thor stood. A vulpine smirk spread across Jareth's face, which received a look of disdain from Thor in response.

"You're brother will soon be mine Odinson, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Thor growled between clenched teeth as he cast his eyes over the tangled mess of stairs in an attempt to map out a route to the doorway in which Jareth stood.

Jareth laughed mockingly at Thor before narrowing his eyes and allowing his features to fall into a look of stern determination.

"You will not succeed here God of Thunder. Give up this futile quest now and return to Asgard with your dignity still in tact."

Thor held Jareth's gaze and shot him back a look of steeled defiance.

"Thor!"

Loki's voice rang out through the hall again, this time much louder than before. In fact, if Thor wasn't mistaken he was sure that his brother's voice had come from somewhere behind where Jareth stood. That was the door he needed to reach.

Thor was desperate, searching frantically for the route he should take in order to reach the doorway in which Jareth stood and behind which he was certain Loki was being held captive. However, every time he tried to trace a path through the confusing maze of stairs he would lose his way and have to start all over again.

Finally, in an act of sheer desperation Thor held his breath and took a flying leap from the platform he was on across to the landing on which the Goblin King stood. Time seemed to stand still as Thor sailed across the gap between the two stone platforms. As he braced himself for the landing Thor watched with a small sense of satisfaction as Jareth gave him a ferrel look, teeth bared and cold eyes blazing, before he disappeared through the doorway.

Thor landed heavily on the platform and immediately tucked himself into a protective roll. His shoulder hit the stone hard, his body uncurled involuntarily in response to the pain and so he went skidding through the doorway on his back thankful for the thick protective armour he wore beneath his red cloak. He groaned loudly and his knee smashed into a column on the other side of the doorway and his arms quickly wrapped protectively around his injured kneecap as he desperately tried to refill his lungs with the air that had been knocked out of them by the force of the impact.

A long loud groan fell from his lips as Thor opened his eyes and tried to work out where he was. All he could tell immediately was that he was no longer in the room of stairs, which in itself was a small relief as the confusion of stairways had really begun to try his patience.

As his eyes slowly came back into focus Thor gradually took in the scene before him. He was lying on a stone floor; the pink hued light of dusk fell through several arched windows spaced around the large round room and bathed the room in a strange glow. Thor paused as he spotted Loki, looking far more dishevelled then Thor was sure Loki would ever allow himself to intentionally become. He was standing with his back against the stone wall, his hands raised above his head in what Thor could now see were a set of shackles attached to a heavy chain that ran up to a thick, sturdy metal ring high up on the wall. About to call out to his brother Thor pause as he notice Loki's attention was not focused on him but was instead trained intently on something across the room from him. His eyes were narrowed, his stare icy and unforgiving, while his lips were curled upwards in an angry snarl.

Thor allowed his focus to drift across the room, following Loki's fierce gaze until his eyes fell upon the horned stone throne and the slender blond King draped across it in an almost feline manner. Jareth's gaze was locked with Loki's but instead of anger the Goblin King's eyes danced with wicked amusement and his lips were curled into a cruel smile, white pointed fangs only just visible between pink lips.

Thor scrambled to his feet and braced himself against the stone wall as his injured knee threatened to give way beneath him. Jareth turned his head slowly until he was facing Thor, his expression never wavering. Mismatched blue eyes locked with Thor's and he noticed Jareth flick a crystal ball away with a swift twist of his hand.

"So good of you to join us Thor Odinson."

"Release my brother Goblin King."

Jareth slowly lifted a single eyebrow and cocked his head to one side.

"You presume you have made it here in time to set him free."

Thor stood frozen to the spot for a moment, unsure if Jareth was bluffing. He watched the other man's features for even the slightest indication that Thor was truly incorrect in his presumption.

"Release him."

Thor tightened his grip on Mjölnir and Jareth's eyes flicked momentarily to the hefty weapon before returning to Thor. Jareth's menacing stare hardened and his eyes narrowed. Thor held the Goblin King's gaze and did not allow his attention to be drawn to Loki despite a desire to see how his brother was reacting to the scene playing out before him, the decision of his own fate torn from his hands.

Finally, after endless stretched out moments, Jareth let out a long disappointed sigh and settled back into his throne.

"Very well. You have bested me Thor, son of Odin. I return your brother to your custody." Jareth flicked a wrist loosely in the direction of Loki, who remained chained to the wall.

Thor narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Jareth, hesitating despite Jareth's indication that he had won their game.

Jareth raised both eyebrows and gave Thor a questioning look.

"Did you want me to gift wrap him for you? He's all yours."

Thor shuffled forward slightly towards Loki but immediately returned his attention to the Goblin king, who remained draped seductively across his throne.

Jareth sat up, swinging one leg back over the front of his throne and leant forward.

"If you do not want him God of Thunder I will happily take him off your hands."

Jareth's lips pulled back into a seductive grin, pointed teeth slipping down over his bottom lip.

Loki shot Jareth a filthy look which went unnoticed by him, either that or the Goblin King chose not to react to it.

"This is a trap…isn't it?" Thor questioned as he wearily crossed the floor towards Loki.

Jareth let out a frustrated sigh.

"No, it is no trap. You reached my castle; you have found your brother. You have won my game and thus to you go the spoils."

Thor watched as Jareth's eyes flicked across to Loki as he cursed Jareth under his breath.

"If you are being true to your word then release him from his bindings"

There was not a moment's hesitation as Jareth waved a hand and Loki's arms fell to his sides, now free from the heavy shackles that had held them above his head. Loki rubbed at the red marks that now spoilt the pale flesh of his wrists and cast Jareth an icy look.

Thor finally rushed to his brother's side and took one of Loki's slender, toned arms in his large hand.

"Are you alright brother?"

Loki tore his arm from Thor's grip and surprised his brother with a less than welcoming glare.

"I do not need your help _brother_" Loki hissed the last word and turned his back on Thor. Thor placed a hand on Loki's shoulder in response.

"It looked to me as though you could use some help. I have won you your freedom Loki you can come home now…"

Loki spun around, cutting Thor off mid sentence; he stepped into the larger man and hissed furiously at him.

"I would have found my own way from this cursed realm, don't think I needed you for anything Thor."

Thor's eyes grew wide and a deep sadness struck him full in the chest for a moment before he realised that deep in Loki's eyes there was no anger, his brother did not mean the hurtful things he had said; it was merely Loki's way of saving face in front of both Thor and the Goblin King.

Thor held his brother's cheek in one rough hand and looked Loki directly in the eye.

"Let's go home brother."

Thor then pulled his younger brother into a hug, squeezing Loki tightly to him, almost fearful that he would be torn from him again. Loki did not resist the hug but he certainly did not return the emotion with the any level of enthusiasm. Thor squeezed his eyes shut as he held his brother, thankful that he was ok and that he had been able to defeat the Labyrinth in order to win him back. What Thor did not see while he was embracing his brother was the look exchanged between Jareth and Loki.

"As touching as this family reunion is, I suppose you want me to return you to Asgard?"

Thor simply nodded at Jareth, who pushed himself up out of his throne and took two slow steps towards the pair. The Goblin King let out a long almost mournful sigh.

"Very well. You both shall be returned to Asgard as I am bound to do by the laws of my crown. Though I suspect I will never find a challenge to match you both again I will continue my existence in the hope that I do."

Then, with a final wave of his long slender fingers Thor and Loki disappeared from his throne room; leaving Jareth alone within the confines of the tower's stone walls, a satisfied smirk gracing his lips and a mischievous sparkle in his eye.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:**  
Well this is it. Thank you all for all of your reviews along the way, they have certainly helped to shape the course of this story and have encouraged me along when inspiration was low. For any who are interested a sequel to this story is currently in the works and I hope to have the first chapter up soon.

Thank you for all of your words of encouragement, inspiration and constructive criticism, all have been well received and I have enjoyed the journey. I hope you have enjoyed this fic and will join me for the sequel.

- What Lurks In Shadows

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

Thor and Loki had barely blinked and they were back in Asgard. In their father's throne room to be exact. Frigga yelped in excitement has her two sons appeared out of thin air before her.

"Loki! You're alive, and you have returned to us"

She raced over and pulled Loki into a fierce hug, tears springing forth at the corners of her eyes, a tiny sob escaping her lips as Loki returned the hug.

Thor placed a reassuring hand on his mother's back and smiled down at the happy reunion before raising his eyes to meet his father's, who had not yet moved from his throne.

"You have brought your brother home Thor?"

Frigga pulled away from Loki and both turned to look up at Odin as he addressed his eldest son. Odin rose slowly from his throne to stand before the small gathering of his family.

"Yes father, I defeated the Goblin King and won Loki his freedom."

The corner of Loki's mouth twisted upwards in a snarl as Thor prostrated himself before their father, once again demonstrating how wonderful he was and how hopeless and helpless Loki is. Loki bit back the tirade of spiteful comments that threatened to spill from his lips and instead watched for Odin's reaction.

Odin's eyes flicked from Thor over to Loki.

"You have returned honourably my son. I am glad you are home."

Loki's expression remained blank and he merely stared unblinking at the man who had raised him, the one who at one time he had called 'father'.

Odin's gaze then returned to Thor.

"But I cannot simply return Loki's powers to him."

Thor remained unmoved by this comment and Frigga merely gazed up at her husband with hope and forgiveness shining in her eyes. The only one to react was Loki; eyes flaring wide and lips pressed together so firmly they began to lose their colour. His reaction, however, remained unseen by the others as their attention was focused on Odin and what he might say next.

"However, if Loki can redeem himself in your eyes Thor…then I will return his power to him."

Loki almost bit through his own tongue as he fought to not explode with rage at just how humiliating it was to have the judgement of his redemption left to Thor. While he was not entirely ungrateful for Thor having attempted to match wits with the Goblin King for no reward but the granting of Loki's own freedom, he was not particularly happy with the notion of having to prove himself to Thor in order to regain his power.

Thor cast a glance over at Loki who remained expressionless, either pulling the best poker face Thor had ever seen or so dissatisfied with Odin's command that he was simply drained of any passion he may have previously expelled.

"Father I'm not…" Thor began before Odin held up a hand to silence him.

"This will be a test for you both." His gaze flicked over to Loki, then back to Thor again. "And when you are satisfied Thor that Loki has redeemed himself you will inform me and I shall restore your power Loki"

The two brothers looked over at one another. Thor's eyes expressing sorrow and guilt, while Loki managed a look of defeat, rather than the look of barely contained rage that threatened to boil over at any moment.

"I'm glad you are both home." Odin stated before he seated himself in his throne once again.

Odin nodded towards Frigga and she stepped between Thor and Loki.

"You boys best be going, your father will have a lot to answer for to the council when they arrive in a few minutes."

Frigga then hurried the two men out of the room before closing the heavy doors behind them.

Outside their father's throne room Thor glanced over at Loki who glared at him before finally rolling his eyes upward and stalking off towards the wing of the palace where their sleeping quarters were located.

"You can either stand there Thor or you can follow and use this time to discuss how exactly you plan for me to prove myself worthy of redemption."

Loki did not turn back to look at Thor at all, merely striding purposefully down the hallway past large golden statues holding heavy weapons and lights held in metal brackets high up on the walls.

Thor blinked several times in stunned silence before he sprinted down the corridor after Loki. He had not even begun to think about what he might require Loki to do to satisfy him that he deserved his powers back. Frankly, he had simply assumed Loki would refuse to be subjected to such a requirement and go about plotting an alternative way to win back his power.

Loki allowed a tiny smirk to grace his lips while he waited for Thor to catch up to him. As he heard the footsteps of his brother approaching Loki returned his face to the blank mask he had been holding since his return to Asgard.

"Are you sure about this Loki?" Thor questioned cautiously as he approached his younger brother.

Loki stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned to face Thor.

"The way I see it brother I have very little choice. Having my power taken from me has been like having a part of myself stolen away and I do not like the feeling at all. If…proving myself to you is what it takes then it is a humiliation I will endure."

"I do not wish to humiliate you brother." Thor said in confusion, his brow creased with concern.

Loki sighed, closed his eyes and then opened them again to look his adoptive brother in the eye.

"Well I do not wish to be humiliated. So, I suggest you come up with a way in which I may prove my worth that does not result in my humiliation."

Thor's face remained blank for a moment before he broke out into a beaming smile and lifted Loki off the ground in a crushing hug.

"Of course brother! Of course I will think of something of a nature that does not result in your humiliation. Nothing could make me happier."

Loki tolerated the hug for a short while before he tapped Thor on the shoulder and indicated that he wished his feet to be returned to the ground. Thor lowered Loki carefully to the floor and released him from his bear-like grip.

"Now, if you don't mind" Loki said as he slowly back away from Thor towards his bedchambers. "I am weary from my time in the Underground and wish to lay down for awhile."

Thor nodded and did not make a move to pursue his brother.

"I suggest you use this time to reflect on how I might redeem myself in your eyes in the least humiliating way possible, but until then I bid you goodnight brother."

With that Loki slipped through the door to his bedchambers, which despite his extended absence Frigga had ensured had been left just the way it was when he had last slept there, right down to the unmade bed and open book laying across his pillow. Loki smiled to himself and closed the heavy gold-gilded doors behind him, leaving Thor to continue alone to his own chambers, lost in thought but overwhelmed by the joy of having his brother back in the palace.

Loki crossed the large room to gracefully settle himself on the edge of his grand four-poster bed. Secretively he reached inside his tattered leather tunic and pulled out a perfectly round crystal ball no bigger than his fist. Smirking slyly to himself Loki rolled the crystal ball about in his hand before finally allowing it to settle in his open palm. He then lifted the crystal ball to his fingertips and stared into its depths.

At first all he could see was himself and his room reflected upside-down within its glassy depths but then slowly a faint mist began to swirl within the glob. The white mist became denser as it swirled more quickly before Loki's eyes. Finally the mist dissipated, swept off to either side of the crystal ball in a single motion, revealing the seductive image of the Goblin King within its depths. The wild mane of silver-blond hair framing his delicately structured face, mismatched blue eyes staring up at him and soft pink lips pulled back in a sly smile to reveal point white teeth; sinister and alluring all at the same time. Loki gazed back down into the crystal ball, a wicked smirk of his own creeping its way across his features until it touched even his eyes.

"It wont be long now…" Loki whispered. "From here it will be all too easy…"

**TO BE CONTINUED...  
**


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